Piano Research Papers

sat down at a piano, having never studied, with little exposure to piano music in her lifetime,

Some well known keyboard players include Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, and Debussy. A popular keyboard that is still used today is the organ. The organ ranges in size from a small closet to an entire church. An organ has from two to eight manuals that can have completely different sounds. Air is pushed through pipes to make the many sounds that can be played on a pipe organ. (Raeburn 11) he most known keyboard, the piano, was improved in this era from the harpsichord. The piano has eighty-eight keys with seven octaves plus a few keys. According to “Musical”, sound is made by hammers that strike the strings to vibrate them (“Musical”). The harpsichord was the precursor to the piano. Instead of hitting the strings, the harpsichord would pluck them to make a more metallic sound. The spinet was a small upright piano that is similar to the harpsichord. Another instrument is the virginal. Like the spinet, it is also similar to the harpsichord (“Elizabethan“). Keyboards were and still are the most known class of instrument. This era gave us variations and new keyboards to use and

At last, the pianoforte was born. The pianoforte means soft and loud. The name describes the sound of the instrument. It can be soft- piano or loud- forte depending on how hard you hit the keys. Bartolomeo Cristofori created it in 1709. When he became angry and was playing the harpsichord harder, he realized that the instrument didn’t respond and become louder. Since he wanted something that could do this, he invented the pianoforte, which is now just

Hans Christian Anderson one said that where words fail, music speaks. Nowhere is this truer than in The Piano Lesson by August Wilson. The Piano Lesson tells the story of family that struggles in the side and what do with a family heirloom that takes the form of an ornately carved upright piano. Bernice wishes to keep the piano but her brother, Boy Willie, wishes to sell the piano for land because according to him Bernice is not doing anything but letting it sit there and rot because no one is playing it. Yet despite what Boy Willie says the piano actually gets quite a bit of use in the play. Along with playing the piano the characters can also be seen singing in the play. The songs the characters sing and perform does a good job of relating the characters thoughts and actions to a more musical medium. From songs such as Maretha's beginners piece on the piano to Wining Boy's more experienced yet melancholic tune the music of The Piano Lesson tells us about the character's pasts and presents.

Throughout The Piano Lesson, Bernice is constantly getting into arguments with her brother over a piano that holds carvings of her family history. This piano is a very

Boy Willie describes the piano as “Yeah… look here, Lymon. See how it got all those carvings on it. See, that’s what I was talking about. See how it’ carved up real nice and polished and everything? You never find you another piano like that” (9), while he looks only at its price, “My mama used to

In The Piano Lesson, by August Wilson, Berniece struggles with her personal connection with the piano. Her families past reveal her relationship with the piano. The piano meant a lot of things to a lot of different people over the years. The piano is a complex and multilayers symbol; its meanings are both personal and political. For example, Berniece was affected by the piano positively and negatively. She had a sentimental connection with it and never wanted to get rid of it. But the piano had a lot of history behind it and it also carries a lot of meaning to it. Berniece stopped playing the piano for a while because of all the spirits inside of it and how they started to haunt other people. Berniece saw Boy Willie getting attacked by Sutter’s ghost and that made her realize she needs to let go of the past and play the piano again. But what was ironic is that she tried her best to forget the family history that came with the piano, she can never let go of her families past no matter what she does. This reveals that people should come to good terms with their past and learn to overcome it.

did not always like the piano. When he was a small boy he liked the drums, his father

This relationship between mother, daughter, and piano is essential to the piano’s role in continually being a part of the family. Berneice sees this piano as a family member, and not just an heirloom to be relished. The fact that Berneice chooses not to disclose the history of

Response Paper Player Piano The reading for January 17th focused on the sounds of poetry. The poem, “Player Piano,” by John Updike, grabbed my attention the moment I started reading it. This unique poem characterizes the piano that is able to play by itself. Through this poem, the piano shares what it feels when it is playing the music.

He is unable to play because he will give himself away so we instead watch his fingers move across the air above the piano’s keys as whilst the sound plays in his head and too the viewer. Throughout the film we also see Szpilman pretending to play the piano as he taps his finger across his legs. It is moments such as these that help to maintain Szpilman’s willingness to survive by keeping silent, but also how piano gives fills him with the hope that is instrumental in his survival. In other scenes such as when a German officer asks Szpilman to play piano for him, and allows him to live because of his immense talent we begin to realise that Szpilman’s hope – music, does not only help him to survive mentally, but also physically as he can share the gift that he has to others. It is also important to note that Polanski only music by the Polish composer, Chopin is used throughout ‘The Pianist’. His sad and evocative music brings upon a sad mood, yet one with a hint of hope and with this, the director can more vividly express his ideas a way that dialogue or action cannot.

Initially, development of content starts from the fascination by the sound of piano to basic learning from cousin and then getting the technical knowledge of the piano. After that, using this skill to enthrall the audience or other members playing piano in the same community shows the writer’s credibility, logical reasoning,

One of the most common musical instruments in many homes is the piano; and most people have the opportunity for even a few lessons in their youth. However, despite the simplicity of its lines and keys (88 keys), 2-3 pedals on the modern piano, and either upright (vertical) or grand style (horizontal), the physics of the piano are both interesting and complex.

The beautiful sound of piano music has captured the hearts of people since the early eighteenth century. Since then, many musicians have dedicated their lives to this instrument. Some players even play piano so well that it may seem that this instrument is easy to play. However, to be able to play the piano well isn’t easy; it takes a lot of skill. To become a good piano player, one must love music very much, have good finger techniques, and body flexibility.

As the ivory keys moved up and down I listened to the sweet sound of my grandma's piano playing. I knew that I wanted to be a piano player and that If I were to do that, then my grandma would have to teach me so that one day I could play just like her. I started playing piano when I was seven and I have been playing ever since. My grandma has taught me for five years and will continue to teach me. Piano is very big and important in my family. My cousins play and my grandma also teaches them and we all have to practice for her and other activities. Piano playing has shaped me into the person I am today because having a good attitude,practice, and hard work has helped me by teaching lessons that will help me know what I want to be when I grow up.