Bartolomeo Cristofori's World

Thoughts on the inventor of the piano and the world that made his work possible

The piano appears in our dreams. We have sent its recorded sounds into space. It is one of those man-made inventions that has become as much a part of our consciousness and the world of symbols as anything found in nature. Pianists often describe it as a natural extension of the self, more perfectly expressive than blunt words. It’s strange to try to imagine our reality without it.