forte-piano
The early piano, predecessor of the modern instrument, with a lighter action and more transparent sound.
In Depth
The fortepiano (literally loud-soft) was the name originally given to Bartolomeo Cristofori's revolutionary keyboard instrument, invented around 1700. Unlike the harpsichord, which could only play at one volume, the fortepiano responded to the player's touch — press harder for louder, softer for quieter. The instrument evolved continuously throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Mozart's and Beethoven's fortepianos had wooden frames, leather-covered hammers, and a lighter, more transparent tone than modern pianos. The historically informed performance movement has led to a revival of fortepiano playing, and many artists now perform Classical-era repertoire on period instruments to recapture the sound the composers actually heard.
Cristofori's original fortepiano had only 49 keys. The modern piano has 88 — the instrument gained nearly 40 keys over 200 years as composers demanded ever more range.