The pianoforte’s hammer mechanism enabled dynamic control that plucked strings lacked

Evidence

Bartolomeo Cristofori (1655–1731), a harpsichord maker in Florence, invented a mechanism replacing the harpsichord’s plucked string with a hammer. The new pianoforte was able to produce both loud and soft notes, which a harpsichord or clavichord could not. (The plucker slips suddenly with the same release of force whether the key is pushed fast or slow.) Cristofori’s mechanism is still the basis for today’s pianos. — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 1837

Categorization

• DEFINE: Explains the core mechanism distinguishing piano from harpsichord/clavichord.