Piano Facts
The piano has been a part of musical history for centuries now, which means that there are numerous piano facts floating around the world. To find out more about this beloved instrument, keep reading ...
When it comes to piano facts, the very first thing that comes to most people’s minds is the large, and incredibly impressive, concert hall grand pianos. Christie’s Auction House once sold a Victorian Steinway grand piano for a whopping $1.2 million dollars. Who was the lucky bidder? The piano is now part of the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute of Williamstown, Massachusetts. Of course, it is hard to talk about any type of impressive grand piano without mentioning the name “Steinway,” but did you know that Steinway wasn’t always the name of the original founder?
That’s right, that great piano brand name that most of us recognize today was originally founded by Englehard Steinweg. Steinweg wanted a name that sounded more American, so he changed his name to Steinway in 1853. The year 1997 marked the 50th anniversary of this magnificent company, and they are still producing top quality pianos to the very day. From Steinway’s to Yamaha’s the piano is truly an impressive instrument, but why are we in such awe of this oddly shaped box?
The piano is known throughout musical circles as “The King of Instruments,” due to its impressive range and its miraculous ability to create both melody and accompaniment simultaneously. This instrument also happens to be the largest instrument out there (with the exception of the pipe organ), and it produces one of the most fascinating sounds. So, how does this instrument produce so many glorious notes? Most pianos have around 230 strings, and each string has around 165 pounds of tension – now that’s one of the most impressive piano facts around!
If you should decide to purchase this worthwhile instrument, make sure that you take good care of your piano. On average, a new piano should be tuned four times per year, and two times every year after that. Should you buy your very own piano, you will not be alone – there are more than 10 million pianos throughout American homes and other establishments.
These piano facts are really quite amusing, though there are many more interesting tidbits regarding pianos throughout history. Nearly every president has kept a piano in the White House, and many other famous pianos have wound up in museums. A piano is a worthwhile investment since it never loses value, and it is also something that many generations will cherish.