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Preface through Chapter V

• The Preface describes the background history and overview of keyboard instruments.

• The historical period covered runs from 1709 when the piano was invented and first played in the 1770s by Clementi and Mozart to three centuries later in the 1980s.

• Chapter I, In the Beginning notes an era after Bach's death in 1750 when the contrapuntal style with its several simultaneous melodies that he fostered evolved into the homophonic or single melody style.
• Chapter II, It Should Flow Like Oil profiles Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the child prodigy who at three played harmonies on harpsichord, wrote minuets at five, and performed on tour at six with his father.

• Chapter III, Thirds, Sixths, and Octaves describes an explosive meeting of Mozart and Clementi in a 1781 Viennese competition between them arranged by Emperor Joseph II.
• Chapter IV, In Profile and on the Road describes the challenges pianists had when...

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