Customer Reviews

Giraffes, Black Dragons, and Other Pianos: A Technological History from Cristofori to the Modern Concert Grand, Second Edition

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I ended up using this book for a research paper and in doing so I found that this book is the most detailed and comprehensive of any book written about the piano's history and development that I've seen. This book resolves many conflicts other sources seem to have with each other with a full explanation of the issue at hand. This book is truly well-written, following logical transitions from topic to topic, and well-reasoned arguments based on the available evidence. Rich in detail, I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn about the truly remarkable transition from a primitive, 4-octave, wooden-framed harpsichord substitute to a refined, 7 and a third octave, iron-framed marvel that exceeds all other instruments in complexity and both dynamic and pitch range.

The author is erudite, reflecting his long career as an academic, the writing lively, but this history of the piano has so much detail--references, footnotes abound--that it is exhausting to read. It's a decidedly layman's "technological history", (engineers will not be satisfied) and only a few B/W pictures appear, but the indefatigable author, himself a pianist, has an undeniable enthusiasm for his subject.