1700s
1700	Bartolomeo Cristofori's "new invention" of the piano e forte recorded, Florence
1711	Scipione Maffei publishes a journal article about the piano
1716	Jean Marius submits hammer-keyboard designs to Royal Academy of Sciences, Paris
1721	Christoph Gottlieb Schröter submits hammer-keyboard designs to the Saxon Court, Dresden
1725	Translation of Maffei's article into German stimulates widespread interest
1725	Pianos advertised, Vienna
1730s	Gottfried Silbermann experiments with pianos derived from Cristofori, Dresden Pianos known to be in Portuguese and Spanish courts
1730	Fickert advertises hammer-keyboard instrument, Leipzig
1732	First published piano music, by Ludovico Giustini
1739	Domenico del Mela builds earliest known upright piano, Gagliano, Italy
1740s	Christian Ernst Friederici makes upright pianos, Gera, Germany
1740	George Frederic Handel plays on a piano, London
1747	J. S. Bach plays a Silberman piano at the Prussian Court, Potsdam, and composes Musical Offering
1750s	Pianos advertised for sale in France
1753-62	C. P. E. Bach: Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments published
1760s	Pianos derived from Cristofori built in Spain and Portugal; Pantalons, small hammer-keyboard instruments, made in Germany
1763	Reports of earliest public performances on pianos by Johann Baptist Schmid, Vienna
1766	Probable invention of the square piano by Johannes Zumpe, London
1767	Early public piano performances, one by Johann Christian Bach, London
1768	First public piano performance in Paris
1770s	Johann Andreas Stein perfects the "Viennese" grand piano, Augsburg, Germany
1771	Americus Backers produces the English grand piano, London; Earliest reported public piano performance in North America by David Propert, Boston
1773	First public piano performance in New York Broadwood Company established, London
1775	John Behrendt makes and advertises a piano, Philadelphia
1777	Sébastien Erard makes his first square piano, Paris Robert Stodart patents the English grand action, London
1779	Muzio Clementi publishes his first piano sonatas, London
1780s	Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach publishes series of sonatas and fantasias for piano Haydn takes up the piano
1780	Anton Walter making pianos, including one for Mozart, Vienna
1781	Mozart and Clementi 'duel' in Vienna
1783	Paris Conservatoire founded
1784	William Southwell makes a 5 1/2-octave square piano, Dublin
1784-6	Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 14-25 composed
1786	John Geib patents the "grasshopper" square action, used for 70 years, London Erard establishes piano manufacturing in London
1794	John Broadwood makes 5 1/2-octave grand piano, London William Stodart patents a large upright piano, a grand set on its head, London Matthäus Andreas Stein and Nanette Streicher, children of Johann Andreas Stein, move to Vienna Ibach established, Schwelm
1794-5	Haydn: 'London' piano sonatas and trios composed
1795	Johann Jakob Könnicke makes a 6-octave, 6-keyboard piano, Vienna Beethoven: 3 Piano Trios, Op. 1 and 3 Piano Sonatas, Op. 2 published
1796	Broadwood makes a 6-octave grand for the Queen of Spain, London
1797	First piano magazine, The Pianoforte, London James Hewitt: The Battle of Trenton published
1798	François-Adrien Boieldieu named professor of piano at Paris Conservatoire

[1700s]     [1900s]

 

1800s
1800	John Isaac Hawkins, Philadelphia, and Matthias Müller, Vienna, make small uprights Alexander Reinagle: Piano Sonatas completed, Philadelphia
1802	Nanette Streicher separates from her brother, Matthäus Andreas Stein, to make pianos in her own name
1803	Erard Brothers of Paris present Beethoven with a piano
1804	Jan Ladislav Dussek plays a concerto with his profile toward the audience, Prague
1807	Pleyel established, Paris
1808	Erard patents the agraffe, a metal stud through which strings pass from the tuning pin
c1810	English and Continental makers design 6-octave pianos, English from C-c, German from F-f "Upright grands" made in England and "giraffes" in Germany and Austria
1811	Robert Wornum patents small upright, London Conrad Graf established, Vienna Prague Conservatory founded
1816	Nanette Streicher makes 6 1/2-octave grands, C-f, Vienna
1817	Thomas Broadwood, London presents a grand piano to Beethoven, Vienna Vienna Conservatory founded
1819	Carl Sauter Company established, Spaichingen, Germany
1820	First successful use of metal in grand piano frame by Thom and Allen, London
1821	Sébastien Erard patents the double-escapement "repetition" action, basis of modern grand action, Paris Weber: Konzertstück composed
1822	Erard makes a 7-octave piano
1823	Jonas Chickering begins making pianos in Boston Beethoven: Diabelli Variations, Piano Sonatas Nos. 31 & 32 published
1825	Alpheus Babcock patents first single-piece metal frame for squares, Boston
1826	Henri Pape patents use of felt for hammer covering, Paris Robert Wornum patents tape-check action, the basis for modern uprights, London Clementi: Gradus ad parnassum published Benjamin Carr: Analytical Instructor for the Pianoforte published
1828	Ignaz Bösendorfer making pianos, Vienna Henri Pape first uses cross-stringing in small "console" uprights, Paris Schubert: Last three piano sonatas composed Johann Nepomuk Hummel: A Complete Theoretical and Practical Course of Instruction on the Art of Playing the Piano Forte published
1833	Chopin: Études Op. 10 published
1837	Knabe Company established, Baltimore Schumann: Carnaval, Davidsbündlertänze, and Symphonic Études composed Liszt and Thalberg 'duel' in Paris
1839	Moscheles: Méthode des méthodes published Czerny: The Compete Theoretical and Practical Pianoforte School, Op. 500 published Liszt establishes the solo recital, performing from memory without assisting artists
1840	Herz modifies Erard's "repetition" action
1841	Becker Company established, St. Petersburg Liszt: Norma, Don Juan, and Robert le Diable Fantasies published
1843	Chickering patents one-piece metal frame for grands Antoine-Jean Bord invents capo tasto bar (downbearing bar at tuning-pin end of strings) Leipzig Conservatory founded
1845	Leopold De Meyer tours U.S.
1846	Henri Herz tours U.S.
1847	Gaveau Company established, Paris
1848	Debain invents an automatic mechanical piano, Paris
1849	Ed. Seiler Company established, Liegnitz/Kitzingen
1850	Heintzman Company established, Toronto
1851	"Great Exhibition" displays state-of-the-art pianos, Erard favored, London
1852	Mathushek Company established, New York Weber established, New York
1853	Steinway & Sons, New York, Carl Bechstein, Berlin, and Blüthner, Leipzig, established Chickering builds new factory, second largest building in U.S., Boston Liszt: B minor Sonata composed Brahms: Piano Sonata No. 3 composed Louis Moreau Gottschalk returns to U.S. as a touring virtuoso
1855	William Mason establishes chamber music series in New York
1856	Wurlitzer Company established, Chicago Thalberg tours U.S. Lebert & Stark: Grand Theoretical and Practical Piano School published
1857	George Steck Company established, New York Peabody Conservatory founded, Baltimore
1859	Henry Steinway, Jr. patents cross-stringing for grands August Förster Company established, Lobau, Germany
1860	Julius Feurich established, Leipzig Broadwood & Sons make their last square; uprights dominant in European homes
1862	At London Exposition, Steinway wins a medal with cross-strung grand
1864	Petrof Company established, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
1865	Grotrian Company established as successors to Theodore Steinway, Braunschweig, Germany Oberlin Conservatory founded, Oberlin, Ohio
1867	Chickering and Steinway win the top prizes at Paris Exposition New England Conservatory founded
1869	Balakirev: Islamey composed
1872	Theodore Steinway patents the duplex scale to enrich the tone Steinway presents Anton Rubinstein's U.S. tour Sohmer established, New York
1874	Albert Steinway patents the sostenuto pedal (middle pedal on modern grands)
1874	Musorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition composed
1875	Chickering presents Hans von Bülow's first U.S. tour
1878	A Japanese square is exhibited at Paris Exhibition
1880	Wurlitzer Company begins making pianos Theodore Steinway develops the laminated grand piano rim
1881	Mason & Hamlin Company begins making pianos, Boston
1882	Louis Renner Company founded to make piano actions, Stuttgart, Germany
1885	Schimmel Company founded near Leipzig Aeolian Organ & Music Co., later Aeolian Co., founded to make automatic organs, later automatic pianos
1888	Steinway & Sons makes its last square; other Americans continue making them
1891	D. H. Baldwin Company, Cincinnati, making pianos Steinway presents Ignacy Jan Paderewski's first U.S. tour
1895	Story & Clark Company making pianos, Chicago, later Grand Haven, Michigan Aeolian Company making automatic pianos, New York
1896	Kohler & Campbell Company established, New York Edward MacDowell: Woodland Sketches composed
1899	Torakusu Yamaha begins making pianos, Hamamatsu, Japan Scott Joplin: Maple Leaf Rag published Eubie Blake: Charleston Rag composed First competition of pianists, Russia

[1700s]     [1800s]    

 

1900s
1900	E. S. Votey, Aeolian Company, patents pneumatic piano player, the "Pianola" Baldwin wins grand prize at Paris Exposition
1901	Welte-Mignon invents a player-piano mechanism, Freiburg, Germany
1901	Debussy: Suite pour le piano composed Ravel: Jeux d'eau composed Piano Manufacturers Association founded, later PMAI
1903	Winter & Co. established, New York Rachmaninoff: Ten Préludes, Op. 23 published
1904	American piano manufacturers make bonfire of square pianos, Atlantic City
1905	Hupfeld makes the "Dea" reproducing-piano mechanism, near Leipzig The Juilliard School founded
1906	Gulbransen Company established, Chicago
1908	American Piano Co. founded, incorporates Chickering, Knabe, Weber, Haines Brothers, and others National Association of Piano Tuners founded
1909	Albéniz: Iberia published
1910	Steinway & Sons moves its factory entirely from Manhattan to Astoria, Long Island
1911	Bartók: Allegro barbaro composed Granados: Goyescas published
1912	Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 1 composed Eastman School of Music founded
1913	Aeolian Co. patents "Duo-Art Reproducing Piano," New York American Piano Co. makes "Ampico" player mechanism, New York
1915	Charles Ives: Concord Sonata composed
1916	Mannes College of Music founded
1917	Manhattan School of Music founded San Francisco Conservatory founded
1918	Hector Villa-Lobos: Prole do bebê composed
1919	156,000 pianos, 180,000 player pianos manufactured in U.S.
1923	Jelly Roll Morton's first recordings, Chicago
1924	Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue premiered Curtis Institute founded
1925	Henry Cowell: The Banshee composed
1927	Kawai Company making pianos, Hamamatsu, Japan
1928	Earl "Fatha" Hines records Apex Blues, Weather Bird
1928-30	Neo-Bechstein, electric piano with electromagnetic pickups to amplify struck strings
1929	Great Depression seriously limits piano manufacture everywhere
1932	American Piano Co. and Aeolian merge to form Aeolian American Corporation Tobias Matthay: The Visible and Invisible in Pianoforte Technique
1933	Art Tatum's first professional solo recordings Challen Company makes the largest (11-foot-8-inch) grand ever made, London
1935	Alfred Knight Company founded to make uprights, Essex, England
1939-45	World War II effectively halts piano manufacture everywhere
1940	John Cage: Bacchanale composed American Association of Piano Technicians founded
1945	Mary Lou Williams: Zodiac Suite composed
1947	Conlon Nancarrow begins Studies for Player Piano
1948	Pierre Boulez: Piano Sonata No. 2 composed
1953	Liberace wins 2 Emmy Awards for network television programs
1955	Guangzhou-Pearl River Company established, Guangzhou, China
1958	Samick Company established, Inchon, S. Korea Shanghai Piano Co. established, Shanghai Beijing Piano Co. established, Beijing Van Cliburn wins Tchaikovsky Competition, Moscow Piano Tuners and Piano Technicians Associations merge as Piano Technicians Guild
ca 1960	Harold Rhodes develops the electric piano (Fender-Rhodes)
1961	Pleyel, Erard, Gaveau merge
1966	Bösendorfer, Vienna, acquired by Kimball, Chicago
1968	Young Chang begins making pianos, Inchon, S. Korea
1969	Japanese piano production exceeds that of all other countries Yamaha Japan's largest producer Astin-Weight patents larger soundboard design for uprights, Salt Lake City
1971	Schimmel acquires Pleyel, Erard, Gaveau
1972	CBS buys Steinway & Sons
1973	Steve Reich: Six Pianos composed
1974	Baldwin buys Bechstein, Berlin
1975	Frederic Rzewski: The People United Will Never Be Defeated composed
1977	John Adams: Phrygian Gates composed
1980s	Development of computerized player pianos, Bösendorfer, Yamaha, Baldwin, and others
1980	Fazioli established, Sacile (Portenone), Italy
1985	A group of Boston businessmen buys Steinway & Sons from CBS Aeolian Corporation disbanded Wurlitzer buys Chickering name
1987	Baldwin sells Bechstein back to employees
1988	Klavins builds a 12-feet-high experimental upright, Bonn, Germany
1990	Young Chang buys Kurzweil Music Systems, American maker of electronic keyboards PianoDisc (Music Systems Research) established, Sacramento
1991	Boston Piano Company established as Steinway subsidiary, New York
1993	Darrell Fandrich patents new upright action design, Seattle
1995	Steinway and Selmer merge into Steinway Musical Instruments Baldwin buys Wurlitzer and Chickering names
1996	Music Systems Research takes control of Mason & Hamlin, Sohmer, and Knabe Young Chang opens factory in Tianjin, China
2000	Piano300 exhibition opens at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

[1700s]     [1800s]     [1900s]