1698, Italian organist Bartolomeo Christofi made a piano similar in appearance and structure to the harpsichord for Fidinand and Medici, the nobles of Florence. 1709, Christopher made a piano that can play both weak and strong sounds at the same time, and the historical era of piano art began. In Italian, "piano" refers to a harpsichord that can produce strong and weak sounds at the same time. Later, Christopher devoted his spare time to the revolutionary invention of piano. From 1709 to 1732, he made 25 pianos.
[yehudi menuhin] The predecessor of the piano is the clavichord, not the harpsichord. Harpsichord is pronounced by plucking the strings, while piano is pronounced by striking the strings. You can play any style of music on the piano, but it may not be really perfect. As a violinist, I have a basis for saying this, because the sound made by strings is not like human voice. A person's voice can maintain a certain intensity, and after plucking the strings, the voice will change from strong to weak. Therefore, piano performance can't completely achieve the effect of human voice singing, but if the player is skilled, he can also play a timbre close to human voice. When the sound of the strings begins to decline, try to reduce the interval and keep the sound coherent and round, so as to play a timbre similar to human voice singing. To achieve this sound effect, the player must have extraordinary skills, otherwise, the sound intensity will not remain unchanged after hitting the strings. The quality of piano is not only directly related to the stability of string sound intensity, but also affects the performance effect. Piano is also a kind of harmony instrument, because it has various scales and can play all kinds of harmony, so it can play all kinds of music.
Why is the piano an important tool for self-expression? The famous writer George Bernard Shaw said, "Piano is the most important musical instrument invention in history, and it is as important to music as printing is to poetry". /kloc-Prince, a keyboard instrument in the 6th century, used to be a harpsichord, but the demand for more singing keyboard instruments surged, and people needed an instrument that could provide more timbre. The harpsichord, on the other hand, cannot make a soft or loud sound like a piano, nor can it produce an echo. In the18th century, when the society is gradually secularized, people hope that keyboard instruments can touch people's hearts like singing, not just spreading music. Soon, the piano that meets the needs of the times came into being. If the harpsichord represents the Baroque era, then the piano has become a symbol of classical and romantic music.
The early piano attracted the interest of many musical instrument makers, who improved the instrument, but the piano was not fully developed in the end. The philosopher Voltaire once said, "Making pianos and harpsichords should be the work of pot makers." The internal structure of piano is too difficult to practice. If the keys are too light, the hammer can't touch the strings. If the keys are too heavy, the hammer will rebound, resulting in repeated percussion and unpleasant sound. It was not until Christofory used the escapement that the problem was completely solved. Although Christopher invented the piano, Italians who are keen on singing and violin are not interested in this new invention. After Christopher's death, the Germans quickly mastered the development of piano.
Gottfried Hilberman, a German organ manufacturer, is a friend of Bach. He has always dreamed of making musical instruments with a large dynamic range. He miraculously discovered the drawings of Christopher's hammer device and put them into practice. In the late 1940s, frederick the great bought a dozen Hilberman pianos and put them in palaces and palaces in Berlin. The year before, Bach tried to play the piano of Hilberman. The harpsichord and organ master didn't like it, but when he visited frederick the great and tried to play the improved new device again, Bach declared it perfect. Bach's piano works are the earliest preserved piano music.
1843, Jonas Chiklin, a Boston piano manufacturer, invented a cast iron frame to make the outer frame of the piano. Since then, not only has the piano been enduring, but its loud voice can spread throughout the concert hall. Christopher's prototype piano is much lighter than the modern one. Modern piano won the throne of "the daughter of industrial revolution" with as many as 20 thousand parts, and piano has since become the representative of romantic instruments. In the romantic era, piano geniuses emerged one after another. In Germany, Felix Mendelssohn was born in 1809, Friedrich Chopin in Poland in 18 10, and Franz Liszt in Hungary in1810. They created a vision full of distinct personality and strong emotional catharsis for the piano.
The development of music creation further promoted the progress of piano production. Since 1860, human beings have entered the real piano era. Broadwood, a great British musical instrument manufacturer, improved the string design of the square piano to make the bass range wider. At the same time, the pedal is used instead of the control knob and knee plate. Broadwood also improved grand piano to make the piano sound stronger and louder, but at the same time it weakened the clarity of the sound. /kloc-At the beginning of the 0/9th century, the Frenchman Sebastian Ellal began to use metal support rods on the piano frame. In 1822, Ellal took another most important step, that is, he used a double escapement in the piano, which enabled the player to play the same tone quickly, so he could play various melodies on the piano. Nowadays, pianos all adopt double escapements, so Ellal is known as "the father of modern pianos". German Henry Papp was also a prolific inventor. 1826, Papp came up with a very creative method, that is, replacing the leather pad on the hammer with nylon pad. In addition, there are some important inventions in grand piano and square pianos, such as the cross installation of strings, which not only lengthens the strings, but also makes the position of the bridge more reasonable. The overlapping of bass strings and treble strings makes the piano achieve a more ideal sound effect.
With the development of social civilization, the piano is becoming more and more popular in the upper class, and new piano brands are constantly emerging. In the second half of the19th century, Henry Steinway of America became an outstanding piano manufacturer. The industrial revolution has promoted the development of machinery manufacturing industry, and the piano manufacturing technology has been improved. /kloc-In the mid-9th century, the piano manufacturing industry in Germany developed rapidly, and some piano brands with a long history were also actively carrying out technological innovation. The pianos they made occupy the concert halls in Europe, big and small. It was not until 19 14 that Steinway pianos from America entered the European market that the monopoly of German pianos ended. Before the outbreak of World War I, the pianos made in Germany were famous for their excellent quality, while the British were good at making teaching pianos, while the two major French brand manufacturers Ellar and Pleijel mainly produced playing pianos. At that time, the musical instrument manufacturers spared no effort to improve the production technology and injected richer timbre into the piano.
The 20th century was a watershed. In the 20th century, the piano has also entered the stage of modernization. Compared with many musicians, a French musician established a new composition system in the early 20th century. He's Claude Debussy. Debussy is not only a first-class pianist, but also an outstanding piano composer. He made many new explorations in music creation, and regarded the piano as a palette that can create rich colors and unique sound effects. Radical harmony language is his greatest gift in music creation in the 20th century.
From the appearance of the first ancient piano to the wide application of modern piano, the production of piano has gone through nearly 300 years. Through the continuous improvement of the masters of piano making in past dynasties, the structure of the piano is more and more perfect, and the timbre is more perfect. It has become the keyboard instrument with the widest range and the richest expressive force among modern musical instruments. The 300-year historical development of piano not only embodies people's pursuit of acoustic aesthetics, but also outlines the mutual promotion relationship between musical instruments and performers. However, when the pianist put his emotion and mood into his piano works, he not only finished the second creation of his works, but also realized the piano's function as a self-emotional medium by pursuing the realm of the unity of piano and human beings. 300 years of piano history is 300 years of human culture. Piano is great because it is a symbol of human ups and downs for 300 years.
The rise of keyboard music in the late baroque period1the European artistic style from the beginning of the 7th century to the middle of the 8th century1advocates luxury, strangeness and exquisiteness, and is called "baroque". Prior to this, during the Renaissance, the pursuit of "realism" and respect for "nature" in art, many works of art show that the worship and praise of God has gradually shifted to the concern of human emotions. Artists in the Baroque era carried forward and evolved this style, and put more emphasis on tension, excitement and excitement in the new artistic tendency. Baroque music has a profound social background and formed a unique artistic temperament. During this period, many important European music schools were formed.
65438+the beginning of the 8th century is a new milestone in the history of baroque keyboard music. The ancient Italian pianist Dominique scarlatti and French harpsichord musician Jean-Philippe Mora opened a new world of keyboard music. Johann sebastian bach, a German music master, tried almost all music genres and structural principles at that time in his creative practice, which set an eternal model for later music and was also an epoch-making figure in the history of piano art. The contribution of Baroque music is unparalleled in the history of music, and its arrival marks the beginning of the dawn of modern European music civilization.
Dominique scarlatti 1685 was born in Naples. At the age of sixteen, he was already an organist and composer in the Royal Church of Naples. Venice, Florence and Rome all left the musician's creative footprints. Scarlatti not only wrote religious music for the church, but also wrote secular works such as opera and chamber music for the royal family, and gradually formed his own unique musical style.
During his years of wandering and traveling, scarlatti met many musicians and composers, such as Alengelo corelli and george frideric handel. In the free and rich music atmosphere, scarlatti made many musical attempts full of novelty and boldness. The use of decorative sounds and dissonance not only refreshed the audience at that time, but also had a far-reaching impact on the music development of later generations.
From 65438 to 0728, scarlatti, as a court music teacher, followed Princess Maria Barbara to Madrid, Spain, where he began the heyday of his creation. Scarlatti wrote more than 500 keyboard sonatas for the princess's music education. These classic works handed down from generation to generation opened a new world for later keyboard music.
The late baroque era began at the end of 17 and the beginning of 18. At that time, in many fields, whether it was science, politics, philosophy or art and culture, it heralded the arrival of the Enlightenment. Under the social background of the combination of religion and music, the great German musician johann sebastian bach surpassed the monument built by his predecessors, pushed keyboard polyphony to the peak and became the greatest polyphonic sound architect in Baroque period.
Bach's keyboard music is deeply rooted in traditional religious culture, German traditional folk music and influenced by Martin Luther Protestantism. Bach's musical language is extremely rich and has a distinct personality.
Bach changed the rules of music and went a long way. He developed a wonderful structure with rich chords and voices. This is a major feature of Bach's music. Like this hymn … there is a chord almost every half beat … 12 note has seven chords, which is very rich.
[Jacques Lussier] Bach's bass is excellent, and it's easy to play G major on the keyboard. But it has a jazz style. Bass rises and falls, it is a singing bass, not just hitting bass notes on the keyboard, but singing. If you forget G major and bass ... then, never stop, never stop. This is an important feature of Bach's music. There is no boring part. It's fun to play without such a theme ... Everything is valuable ... Go on. ...
17 17, Leopold, Grand Duke of Coton, hired Bach as the director of court music. Archduke Leopold is a music lover. He appreciated Bach's musical talent very much and gave him generous treatment. Moreover, Archduke Leopold himself is proficient in ancient cello and harpsichord, so Bach created many such instrumental music on a whim. Kelten era can be said to be the peak of Bach's creation. At that time, a large number of keyboard music created by Bach were extremely valuable works. If Bach's organ music is mainly a reflection of his religious music worldview, then the secular and folk music language is more reflected in his fresh and lively piano suite and piano music with even rhythm. The Collection of Piano Music with Uniform Rhythm is called the "Old Testament Bible" of piano music by later generations, and its first volume was completed during this period. These works are natural and smooth, and there is an impeccable balance between the connotation of music and the playing skills.
He wrote at the beginning of the collection of piano music with equal rhythm: for the knowledge and familiarity of music.
[Joanna McGregor/pianist (female)] Piano music with average rhythm is written according to the change of tone sandhi. At that time, the keys were in the fifth key, and it was really good to play some works. For example, william byrd's works were mostly in C major with many variations. The piano music set with average rhythm is taken out from it and composed in octaves. Divide an octave into 12 semitones, and you can play it in any key for the first time. Therefore, Bach boldly and creatively wrote a prelude and fugue for each key. It was originally in C major, C minor, G major and G minor, and suddenly it became E minor or B minor. This is a brand-new job. In the first book, it started with a prelude in C major, then turned to C minor, and then there was a new rise in C major. In this way, go up one level at a time. He wrote many such fugues.
[Andreas Schiff] Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin and Schumann practice this piece every day, as do Bartok and casals, who call it the Old Testament of music. I think so too. I practice piano music with even rhythm every day. Playing 2, 4 or 6 different preludes and fugues every day is a wonderful way to start each day, just like taking a bath to clean yourself. For the mind, mind and body, this is a very pure thing, and there is no need to do other stupid things that waste time. Because it gives you enough practice. A piece of music like this ... it uses almost all the fingering. Just like dancing, you will feel extremely happy to be alive.
[gavlilov] The prelude in C major is light and powerful, smooth and beautiful, and cool. This piece of music makes people feel very happy, comfortable and energetic. Playing is like reading a novel. Yes, I really like it.
Bach's eyesight was almost blind in his later years, and his physical condition deteriorated rapidly. Bach's last keyboard work, The Art of Fugue, is regarded as a musician's "philosophical work". His musical thinking is highly logical and structured, which embodies the harmonious beauty of mathematics and the universe contained in music. When Bach died, the work was still unfinished.
[Joanna McGregor/pianist (female)] The last fugue is counterpoint 14, which is very long. There are many paragraphs, based on three themes, the first theme is serious … solemn … the second theme is light, which brings vitality to the work. The third theme is more interesting-very personal. His name is "B-A-C-H". Because in German, B means B-flat and H is B, so his name sounds like this … Bach sounds like this on the keyboard. This is the first time he has composed music under his own name. This is interesting because it is easy to spell. This is the first time he has written such a fugue. This part of the structure is very close, and there are many close connections ... Bach didn't finish this fugue before he died, so the music was suddenly cut off. People think that this is a four-part fugue, which is the last entry point of the work and reinterprets the art of fugue. But he died and didn't finish it. So, he left this surprising ending. ...
1750, the death of Bach, a great musician, was regarded as the remnant of baroque music. With the rise of the bourgeois enlightenment and the birth of classical music in Vienna, baroque music was gradually submerged by the new trend. For Bach, people miss his exquisite keyboard playing skills more than his great keyboard music works. In the history of piano art, Bach's keyboard works built a rational music building and showed a pure and beautiful spiritual home to all mankind.
Piano Music of Early Classical School
/kloc-in the first half of the 0/8th century, great changes have taken place in Europe ideologically and politically. On the basis of "opposing theocracy" advocated by the Renaissance, the "Enlightenment" further put forward the slogan of opposing monarchical power, advocated returning to nature, and advocated rational thinking of human beings. Western music began to turn from baroque period to classical period. Piano music in this period also got rid of the baroque comprehensive polyphonic structure to conform to the trend of "returning to nature" advocated by the whole society at that time.
However, the emergence of new styles in piano music is inseparable from the phenomenon that pianos replace ancient pianos. The improved piano can not only show the winding singing melody, but also play full and loud chords, so it has become the main keyboard instrument in the classical period. In this transitional period, the melody of piano music was deeply influenced by the emerging Italian comic opera at that time, and the melody was more characteristic of singing. In addition, the dynamic style of Mannheim Symphony Orchestra in the middle of18th century also added new factors to the piano music style.
Music in this period respected human rationality, and many composers' talents and personalities were freely displayed. Among them, Bach family still plays an important role in the development of piano art. Johann sebastian bach's youngest son, johann chrisiian bach, was the first person in the world to give a concert on the piano. Another son, Karl Fei E Bach, known as Hamburg Bach, is the most important keyboard composer in the whole transition period and a key figure in the transition from baroque style to classical style in the history of piano art.
Austrian composer joseph haydn is the first master of Viennese classicism and the direct successor of Karl ·f·e· Bach. His piano music creation is as clear, optimistic, humorous and folk as his basic creative style. In Haydn's time, Austria's economy and culture flourished. At that time, German and Austrian bourgeois enlightenment thinkers were full of confidence in life and believed in humanitarianism. This awareness has also been fully reflected in Haydn's music creation.
Haydn lived for a long time, spanning a long period from baroque period to almost the whole classical period. Haydn's piano music style can be divided into three periods: early, middle and late, and his works are mainly 62 piano sonatas. Most of the early piano sonatas were Partita or romantic, with traces of Rococo art.
The 1970s of 18 is the beginning of the classical period in the history of piano art and the turning point of Haydn's whole creation. Influenced by the "rushing movement" in the German literary world and the "emotional style" in North Germany at that time, his piano sonatas expanded in scale, and the changes in form became increasingly rich, and the development of music themes became more rigorous and full of architectural sense. 18 After the 1980s, Haydn's piano music style showed a new tendency, and the lyrical elements in his later piano sonatas increased greatly. During this period, Haydn achieved perfection in music performance and balance of harmony and counterpoint in music structure, which are two characteristics of classical style.
For a long time, Haydn's position in the history of piano art has not been paid due attention, and he has been misunderstood as the "father of Haydn" who specializes in creating toy piano music. However, Haydn's music is an affirmation and feeling of human reality. In the long river of piano music creation, Haydn is the bridge connecting Karl Feuerbach and Ludwig van Beethoven.
Mozart's Piano Music Creation
1756 65438+1October 27th, an ordinary music teacher's family in Salzburg, Austria, gave birth to a classical music master with the reputation of "prodigy" who shocked the world in the future. This is Wolfgang A. Mozart. If in joseph haydn's works, people feel more of his wit and humor, then Mozart's music makes people feel a strong human touch. Mozart was the first composer who used music to describe psychology and character in piano music with theme style.
Mozart showed extraordinary piano playing and creative ability as early as five or six years old. He always uses sharp and delicate motive presentation and flexible and smooth tone change to achieve emotional contrast. Mozart's piano music creation not only inherits the previous creative techniques, but also has great innovations in music vocabulary and musical form structure. Mozart's piano sonatas are not only balanced and unified in structure and form, but also more proficient in the contrast of theme and personality and the use of harmony. In Mozart's works, there is always an extremely subtle "chain" between seemingly loose music materials, and any movement is a highly perfect and closely structured harmonious whole under his genius creation.
Some people say: "Mozart's music has no complicated orchestration or abrupt development, and everything is just right and impeccable ..." Indeed, Mozart's talent and talent make his creation neither change the tradition excessively, but also have extremely distinctive characteristics. A large number of his works reveal a pure beauty, which develops the elegance of court art to the peak. Mozart not only has extraordinary musical balance ability, but also injects the lyricism of vocal music into instrumental music performance. Some people even say that Mozart's greatest contribution is to teach musical instruments how to sing.
When Mozart began his extraordinary career as a composer, the concerto had a history of nearly a hundred years. Mozart contributed a lot to the piano concerto. From the first piano concerto written by 1 1 to the last one in the year of his death, 27 piano concertos recorded Mozart's music growth track. Mozart called Vienna "the hometown of piano", where he made a living by teaching piano and playing his own piano concerto.
In the history of piano concerto, Mozart took the lead in adopting the symphonic technique, maintaining a delicate balance between piano solo and orchestra, and the opera factor was more obvious in his piano concerto. There is both contrast and cooperation between the piano and the band, which is vivid, delicate and dramatic. In a sense, Mozart is the founder of piano concerto, and the form of piano concerto he perfected and developed has become a model for future generations to refer to.
[colin davis] Mozart's piano concerto has many characteristics, among which the piano concerto in A major is excellent. There is no oboe in that concerto, and the sound is very smooth. For Mozart, clarinet is equivalent to soprano or viola. Generally speaking, the viola is divided into parts, which makes the sound of the orchestra softer. Beautiful, dense and sweet. After adding clarinet, everything is more beautiful. He wrote a modern piano concerto, and Bach also wrote many similar works, but in a completely different style. Mozart opened up a new way for this kind of works.
In Mozart's life's creation, piano concerto is the essence of all his instrumental concertos, and the harmony and balance of solo parts have reached an almost perfect state. Unexpected changes, contrast of different feelings and clear artistic conception all make his piano concerto a model of piano art in18th century. Of all Mozart's piano concertos, only two are written in minor and full of melancholy and sadness. Among them, Piano Concerto No.20 is gloomy and introspective. Ludwig van Beethoven, a master musician, liked this concerto very much and played it himself. It is this characteristic that makes Mozart a pioneer of piano music creation by many composers in the19th century.