Excerpt from A Description and History of the Pianoforte and of the Older Keyboard Stringed Instruments There is no musical instrument so extensively used as the piano forte, and there is certainly none so little understood by the player, in the construction, or the legitimate treatment according to the construction. It would be more intimately known if the performer had to tune it, but the difficulty Of tuning renders the employment of a specialist in that art necessary. Few piano players know more about a piano than that the sounds are caused by hammers striking against wire strings. There has, however, arisen in our leading music schools a desire to know more, and students are not now satisfied to remain unacquainted with the nature of their instru ment. TO assist those who are curious about its construction is one of the Obj ects for which this book is written. I have chosen to start from the introduction of iron in the construction of the pianoforte, about 1820, as convenient for my purpose, regarding the entirely wooden framed piano as appertaining to an historical division, in which the precursors Of the piano, the clavichord, virginal or spinet, and harpsichord will be found. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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Excerpt from A Description and History of the Pianoforte and of the Older Keyboard Stringed Instruments This book is the result of a conviction that in the study of German too little emphasis is laid on the meanings of words. When we use a wrong gender, case, or mood, Germans rarely misunderstand us, but when we use a wrong word, they often get no idea whatever. Emphasis, therefore, is here put on distinctions in the meanings of common words, though forms and syntax are not neglected. Above all, the book aims to be practical. The ideal way to teach German composition is to use nothing but German in the classroom. But this presupposes pupils who are prepared to "think in German," and such students have already reached a state of proficiency far beyond the scope of this volume, which is intended as a practical step toward an ideal goal. The treatment does not claim to be exhaustive. As in the case of my German Grammar, I have clung to the belief that a thorough discussion of important things furnishes a better foundation for future work than less intensive study spread over a wider field. Though not made for the purpose of forcing the "direct method" upon teachers, this Composition - like the German Grammar and "Im Ya-terland" - readily lends itself to the use of German in the classroom. A partial list of the books used in preparing the Composition will be found in the Teachers' Handbook, but in the treatment of many words and constructions, especially where no book sufficed, I have drawn not only on my own experience, but also on that of many German friends. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.