The Piano

With the invention of the fortepiano in the mid-18th century and then its more refined successor, the pianoforte—both with hammered rather than plucked strings—the world of music gained its most versatile and widely played instrument. Mastered by musicians of every genre, the piano, with its 88 keys, offers an orchestral range to a single player and has inspired some of the greatest composers. It also spawned a new breed of musicians who became masters of the instrument. There is seemingly nothing a piano can’t do, and whether solo or combined with other instruments, it reigns supreme in a domestic setting or a grand concert hall—and everywhere in between.