Preface through Chapter V Summary and Analysis

Preface through Chapter V discusses the background, history and overview of keyboard instruments, the piano, early players, times, and their tools.

The Preface describes the background history and overview of keyboard instruments. This work of historical non-fiction was published in 1963, and updated in 1987. The historical period covered runs from 1709 when the piano was invented and first played in the 1770s by Clementi and Mozart over three centuries to the late 1980s. Author Harold C. Schonberg presents a thoroughly researched introductory panorama of piano-playing and its great pianists. Piano playing began with Clementi initially and then Mozart in mid-1770. They both played harpsichord, clavichord, and organ through 1800 when the piano became most popular along with the organ. There are few studies of early piano players. No recordings exist of Mozart, Clementi and their contemporaries. They were...