Johann Sebastian Bach published The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, in 1741. Although it was the first and only of Bach’s works of this kind, it is considered today to be one of the best examples of variation in existence. Specifically written for the harpsichord, The Goldberg Variations consist of 30 variations and an aria. The composition was named [...]
Photograph of Frédéric ChopinPhoto credit: commons.wikimedia.org Born March 1, 1810, Frédéric Chopin was a child prodigy who began playing the piano without instruction at the age of five. His first professional performance was at the age of eight. Polish born, the composer and pianist was heavily influenced by the uprising in Warsaw and [...]
Renowned pianist and composer Ludwig van Beethoven published Pathetique Sonata, alternatively referred to as Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op, in 1799. The French meaning of “pathetique” is emotional or passionate, and it is said Beethoven personally chose to title the composition such because of the sonata’s tendency to represent both romance and [...]
Most people see a piano as one instrument, but it is one that has many components, such as the keys, pedals, and strings. With each component comes many small parts. The average piano has approximately 9,000 parts, each which must function properly for it to play well and sound great. Just as your piano must [...]
Learn Good Habits for Cleaning Your Piano, and Keep It Looking Its Best Cleaning and proper maintenance of your piano will preserve its performance and beauty and prevent costly repairs or the need for rebuilding or restoration in the future. Your piano is not only a complex musical instrument, but it is also a focal [...]
What is Piano Tuning? Your piano is an investment that will bring joy to your family for decades. To maintain and preserve it so it produces the highest-quality sound, it should be tuned on a regular basis, depending on usage, weather, vibrations, and other factors. Piano tuning involves adjusting the tension of the stretch of [...]
Why Do Pianos Need to be Tuned? A piano is a precision instrument—proper acoustics and best harmony requires routine tuning by an expert technician. Pianos need to be tuned, even if they are not played regularly, for several reasons: Each piano has about 250 strings, all of which will stretch over time and use. Each [...]
