What is a Fortepiano?

The fortepianos used by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven are dramatically different from a modern Steinway. Classical-era composers exploited the Viennese fortepiano’s unique characteristics in their music, so let’s look at the differences between fortepianos and modern pianos.
** 2024 CONCERT TOUR: www.danieladammaltz.com/tour **
Transcript: www.danieladammaltz.com/tcp/w...
-- CONNECT --
KZbin channel: / @danieladammaltz
Website: www.danieladammaltz.com
Classical Cake Podcast Website: www.classicalcake.com
Instagram: / danieladammaltz
#classicalcake
-- RECOMMENDED VIDEOS --
Fortepiano Sound vs. Modern Piano: • Fortepiano Sound vs Mo...
Fortepiano Knee Levers (Pedals): • Fortepiano Knee Levers...
Mozart's Slur Markings: • Slur Markings: Underst...
Beethoven's Pedal Markings: • Beethoven's Pedal Mark...
Historical Tuning: • Historical Tuning: Red...
Evolution of the Viennese Fortepiano: • Evolution of the Vienn...
#fortepiano
-- TIMESTAMPS --
0:00 Introduction
0:30 Range, action, and straight-stringing
1:53 Inside the instrument, hammers, and sound decay
2:59 LISTEN: Quick, light, and responsive action
3:27 LISTEN: Sound qualities by register
4:03 LISTEN: Knee levers (pedals)
4:56 Additional resources

[@kryscall4544]

This was very well done. The speed at which you spoke was listener-friendly, and your demonstrations made me want to play the fortepiano!

[@chamberonthemountain6224]

Your video is fascinating! We are so excited for your June 16th performance for Chamber On The Mountain!

[@outtabubblegum7034]

It sounds exactly as someone would expect: an intermediate between the harpsichord and modern piano. And it's my favorite sound ever!!

[@tkadeliverydept.4469]

Daniel, I thoroughly enjoyed your video and found it interesting and well presented. I loved learning about this instrument and agree with your comment that it helps classical music be presented in a new and exciting way. Lisa from Turner's Keyboards

[@jasmingerer8010]

Thank you for this detailed information and lovely demonstrations!

[@highgroundgaming9161]

Very detailed and extremely informative. Great video all together!

[@originalvonster]

Excellent video. Learned a lot. Thank you.

[@dfresh3971]

Really interesting and succinct! Subscribed.

[@nikolapetricevic]

Fortepiano sounds amazing, I actually prefer it over the modern piano. It is more raw and less ringing, if that's the right word. But it still has a beautiful sound. Thank you for the video!

[@wolkowy1]

Thanks so much for this upload. The sound is wonderful, and really match the clarity needed in expressing classic music (for that matter, also the late-Baroque music, and maybe not only the late one...).

[@mewsdo]

You did a great job of describing the Fp. Thanks!

[@Q12349]

Dear sir, I'd like you to congratulate you for this presentation. Thanks!

[@TheCocolocuelo]

I just discovered your channel and I'm amazed! Congratulations for your content, I´ve learned a lot with your videos! Greetings from Andalusia in Spain

[@DanielAdamMaltz]

Thanks for your kind words. I’m very happy that you find my videos helpful!

[@lazyartist1327]

Amazing video

[@austinhimes14]

Thanks man, neat vid

[@245artist]

Wonderful video as always, I saw your name pop-up and clicked right away.

[@DanielAdamMaltz]

Thank you very much for your kind words and continued support of my channel!

[@elaineblackhurst1509]

A fascinating insight into the early fortepianos - thank you for putting together such a clear, concise and interesting upload; your discussion has prompted some thoughts. It might be interesting to do a follow-up, as whilst everything you mention clearly refers to Mozart, is it not true that the fortepianos encountered by Haydn in London, and Beethoven later in Vienna, were a step forward from this in the development of the instruments as evidenced by the music of both composers* ? The short clips you played illustrated brilliantly the value of hearing this music on a fortepiano, and for myself, some pieces - bars 31 to 36 of the Andante cantabile con espressione from Mozart’s sonata K310 for example, I find almost impossible on a modern piano, but works brilliantly on a fortepiano. * Haydn would surely never have conceived the E flat sonata Hob. XVI:52 for a Viennese fortepiano; was it not a direct response to the bigger-scale Broadwood, and Longman & Broderick instruments he encountered in London ? As I said, I learned much from this video - many thanks.

[@DanielAdamMaltz]

Thanks for the compliments and for continuing to share your thoughts on my videos! Thinking of piano development as a "step forward" can be a bit problematic. Generally speaking, later piano development was driven by the desire for louder instruments to fill larger concert halls, not artistic reasons. (If you haven't already seen it, my video "Evolution of the Viennese Piano" - kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpmlaJ-em7ian6c - goes into more depth on this subject.) Yes, Haydn was inspired by the extroverted musical tastes of London - and their thriving public concert scene. But, I’m not convinced that Haydn would not have conceived of XVI:52 on a Viennese fortepiano - late Haydn works wonderfully on Viennese instruments. Due to Beethoven’s increasing deafness, it is unlikely that he was drawn to English fortepianos because of their musical characteristics; rather, Beethoven’s Broadwood (gifted to him by the company - and the only Broadwood in Vienna at the time) was louder and produced more vibrations. For example, Beethoven wrote a letter to fortepiano maker Nannette Streicher asking her to alter one of her instruments to be louder so that he could better hear it.

[@elaineblackhurst1509]

@@DanielAdamMaltz Thank you very much for taking the trouble to reply. By a step forward, I was of course referring only to the bigger instruments and technical developments encountered by Haydn in London - and later by Beethoven - with such important advances as Broadwood extending the range to six octaves for example. I will think about the other points you have made, which I found very interesting; I will check out some of your other videos. Thank you.

[@timothydewa9096]

The left pedal is magical on pianoforte, I love the pianissimo sounds especially for playing quiet passages. But they're all knees-pedal however.

[@DanielAdamMaltz]

I love the sound colors that the knee levers facilitate. The use of the moderator can open up a very romantic sound world when combined with the dampers.

[@klavyelitarkan1074]

is it possible to get precise numbers of downweight and upweight of the touch and key-dip Daniel?

[@DanielAdamMaltz]

Yes, but the numbers vary a bit from builder to builder because there were no set manufacturing standards in the 18th century. That's why I gave rough figures in the video.

[@SimoneSlade]

Thanks Daniel. I was wondering why the concerted composed by the classical composers sounded so different. And I had many misconceptions for example I thought a pianoforte keys were heavier to play or that one had to press harder. Also, the left knee pedal causes a sound that I think the modern piano is not capable of, regardless of how one plays. Thx, I really enjoyed your clip!

[@DanielAdamMaltz]

I’m glad that you found my video informative! Yes, composers are highly influenced by the unique characteristics of the instruments available to them. That’s key to why Classical-era music is stylistically different from Romantic music - the pianos were built to do entirely different things.

[@davidlauer9379]

I am new to your channel and to the fortepiano. I just purchased Ronald Brautigam's recordings of the Beethoven piano sonatas and love what I have heard so far. Can you answer a question for me? I have heard from a controversial KZbin channel, AuthenticSound, that it is not really possible to play quickly on a fortepiano from Beethoven's time. Is this true? Brautigam's tempi are quite brisk. Is the action on a modern fortepiano the same as on a fortepiano in Beethoven's time? Thank you!

[@DanielAdamMaltz]

Thanks for subscribing to my channel and for your interest in fortepianos! I am unfamiliar with this claim from Authentic Sound, so my answer is based solely on "it is not really possible to play quickly on a fortepiano from Beethoven's time" - I strongly disagree. The Viennese fortepiano action is about 10x lighter than on modern pianos - facilitating quick, articulated playing. Meaning, it can be much easier to play quickly on original fortepianos and modern fortepiano copies than on a modern piano. However, this lightness is a double-edged sword because it demands more accuracy from the performer. With practice, it is possible for one to play lightning-fast on the fortepiano. I am happy to answer any additional questions, so please feel free to reach out.

[@davidlauer9379]

Thank you for the reply! I certainly hope I did not misrepresent AuthenticSound's claim. I used to watch that channel quite a bit, but not so much anymore. I don't think I buy their tempo theories. I suspect that you don't either. Regarding the matter I brought up, I believe they were talking about how quickly a key returns to its resting position after being depressed. If I recall correctly, I think they were saying that fast repeated notes, as in a Scarlatti sonata, could not be played as quickly as they are generally played today on modern pianos. Thank you so much! Your channel has opened up a whole new world to me.

[@dalewier9735]

Daniel, in university my piano teacher had a wonderful collection of harpsichords and what she called "pianofortes". Is there a different between pianoforte and fortepiano?

[@DanielAdamMaltz]

Historically, the two terms were used interchangeably. Today, the term “fortepiano” is used to differentiate historic pianos from modern pianos, generally.

[@AndyRubio1]

Are fortepianos still manufactured?

[@DanielAdamMaltz]

Yes, there are builders of modern copies of fortepianos. My fortepiano is a copy of an Anton Walter fortepiano (circa 1805) and was made by highly-respected maker Paul McNulty.

[@williamdiffin28]

I don't think I can listen to Mozart again now unless it's played on a fortepiano.

[@DanielAdamMaltz]

I’m glad my video inspired a love of the fortepiano! :)

[@millennial8441]

This is why Mozart's music gets a whole mess on a Steinway modern piano. And Ravel's or Debussy's never could be played on the fortepiano. Period.

[@ymaysernameuay1113]

You can hear polyphony better on fortepiano

[@DanielAdamMaltz]

I agree. This has to do with the straight-stringing of the instrument that allows for a more transparent texture.

[@ymaysernameuay1113]

@@DanielAdamMaltz Yeah a lot of the details get blurred on the modern piano

[@richardwhitfill5253]

I think modern pianos have a more powerful sound

[@DanielAdamMaltz]

While this is undoubtedly true, one has to consider the reasons why. Mozart and Beethoven’s piano music was heard almost entirely in salon settings, so the “concert” spaces were much smaller and more intimate. During the mid- to late 1800s, concert halls grew in scale to host significantly larger audiences and the instruments had to keep up with greater acoustical demands. Pianos were then built solely for the purpose of creating a larger sound in the bigger spaces.

[@Herr_Flick_of_ze_Gestapo]

This is why i hate and detest modern Steinways and any other modern factory made piano. they sound soul-less. shallow and dull.