Mozart's Piano Vs Brahms' Piano, What are the differences? Options

[Cellona]

Dear Friends

Could anyone help me with this one? I could only cite 3 differences between Mozart's piano and Brahms' piano. 1) Timber soundboard for the former & iron soundboard for the latter. 2) Double escapement for latter 3) Brahms' piano is richer in sound quality.

Does anyone have any idea what books I should read up or any useful websites I should view?

Thank you!

[Frederic Chopin]

The compass of the keyboard?

[Cellona]

Ah....... Yes! The compass...the number of octaves. I think Katyjay provided a very good link in my the other thread on 'Double Escapement'. I read the whole page and I will be studying it tonight!

Thanks Federic Chopin! You must be a fan of Chopin! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Frederic Chopin]

Definitely a fan of Chopin! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Also, the pedals of the piano.

[Dulciana]

Totally off the wall here... would the difference in their music imply a difference in the sound that their pianos actually produced? Perhaps more clarity in Mozart's...? Is this relevant to what you need to know? I remember hearing that Mozart liked a piano to sound like glass - hence that crystal-clear touch which is needed to play his music as intended on a modern piano. And what about the sustaining pedal?

[Barry Thain]

Perhaps tuning?

I think Mozart's instrument would have been 'well tempered' and Brahms' more likely to be 'equal tempered'.

http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html refers.

Best wishes

barry

[petrat]

I think that you mean a timber frame as opposed to an iron frame? The piano in Mozart's time was a far lighter instrument, resembling the shape of a harpsichord than a modern grand, but by Brahms' time it had grown in order to compete with the larger orchestral sounds when playing concerti amongst other things. There are some very good books on the history of the piano. Perhaps a look in Grove would be a good start.

[Cellona]

Thanks Frederic Chopin!

Hi Patricia! Mozart likes his music to sound like GLASS. I thought that's a very good analogy...yes...will probably use it in my teaching. Thanks friend!

Barry, um.....skim through the first part of your attached web pages. Will study them later. Really love the useful web pages that you and Katjay provided me with (in my other thread)...at least I only need to let my fingers do the 'walking' and save me a trip to search for stuff in the music library.

Petret, Yup! The difference in frame and the size of the instrument. Not easy to look from Grove in Spore. But I think there is one set in the music library. Will have to make a trip there to check it out.

[Storini]

Notes played on later pianos are sustained for much longer, i.e. they don't decay as rapidly. This has a very significant effect on the meaning of pedal indications. Beethoven has notated some very long passages where the pedal should be held down, e.g. Moonlight sonata 1st movt, Appasionata last movt. These have the potential to sound very muddy and congested on modern pianos, unless some discretion is applied. With early pianos, the notes died away before this happened, usually.

The dynamic range of modern pianos is much larger, to accommodate playing with large orchestras in large halls.