PIANO-FORTE. A musical stringed instrument of the keyed species. Its name, compounded of two Italian words, signifying soft and loud, given to it to distinguish it from the harpsichord and spinet, in which no light ness of touch could lessen the strength of the sound produced from the quills al ways striking the strings with equal force ; whereas, in the piano-forte, the strings are put in vibration by means of small hammers, connected by levers with the key or finger board, which hammefs quit the string the moment it is struck, a damper falling down upon it the moment the finger quits the key. The invention of the piano-forte is ascribed to a German named Schroeder, who lived at the begin ning of last century • but it was first in troduced into England in 1766, by Zumpe, by whom it was greatly improved. With in the present century this instrument has received many useful and valuable improvements, at the ,hands of manu facturers, in this country and Europe : Pianos made in this country preserve their tone better, and even in London a Chickering make is often preferred to a Collard or Errard. Many distinguished musicians have devoted themselves to the composition of pieces for this instrument; and several of the most distinguished composers in modern times, among whom we may mention Hummel, Czerny, IIerz, Kalkbrenner, Cramer, Moscheles, Chopin, Thalberg, Liszt, &c., have made the in strument itself almost their exclusive study. It is variously formed, and is designated grand spare, semi-grand, cabinet, cottage, and piccolo. Some piano
fortes have 7 octaves, hut the usual num ber in the best instrument is 61. In others 6 or 61.
One of the recent improvements of this instrument, is that entitled, "the patent dolce campano pedal piano-forte," man ufactured by Messrs. Boardman & Gray, of N.Y. The effects produced by the ap plication of this pedal are prolongation of the sound, and the alteration of the quality of tone from the common piano, to that of sweet bells or harps, and which can be used ad libitum by the performer, thereby producing not only a charming variety of sound, but a most beautiful accompaniment long sought for the voice. The mechanical part of this improvement is simple, being merely a number of weights, arranged by a lever pedal to fall when required upon an equal number of screws, fixed in the sounding board of a piano, and which of course altering the vibration, effects peculiar qualities and expressions of tone, which, when com binedwith the other two pedals, produces the lightest shade of altissuno notes, alter nating with crescendo and diminuendo, and other musical accents, in imitation of an orchestral performance. Its great ad vantage are clearness, brilliancy, and delicacy of tone, which falls on the car like the chimes of distant bells, hence its name " Dolce Campano." The attach ment is simple, and may be detached in a few minutes. The 2Eolian is another attachment put on pianos, which appears to some to produce an agreeable har mony.