The appearence of the first pianos at the beginning of the 18^th century was met with reluctance by an established orthodoxy of harpsichord and clavichord players. In the third decade of that century, the widespread acceptance of the piano as a viable alternative to the harpsichord corresponded, not coincidentally, with the decade heralded as the time when the symphony orchestra was "invented."

The invention of the piano, coupled with radical departures from musical orthodoxy could not have happened at a more indicative time. As regionally disconnected as Europe had become by the 18 C, this was the age in which it, taken as a society as a whole, was flowering. 18th-century Europe may be compared with the Italian renaissance, or more accurately, with the Roman Empire at its zenith. If we can let ourselves beleive some conclusions of the Enlightenment for just a moment, it appears that music (as an art form) was also flowering in this century. If we surmise that music is somehow mathematical, or that sonata form is somehow connected to nature (or the way humans hear music), this argument is strengthened. The fact that popular music naturally forms into choruses, bridges (and little "development sections"), whether or not the musicians are trained, stands as evidence of this sort of "universal law" to music.

By 1770, the rapid acceptance of the piano over the harpsichord was already past the point of no return. Noone was writing music for the old instruments anymore. What existed physically in Europe at this time were pianofortes, which used wooden frames for the strings and had no sustain pedal. The modern piano we see today uses a heavy steel harp and has one pedal for sustain, one pedal to sustain the lower keys only, and one pedal that is supposed to make the notes sound softly. The sustain pedal appearing regularly would have to wait until the end of Beethoven's life, circa 1820.

Although this totally new piano had gained prominence, the way in which the performers hands approached the keys as a whole did not change as fast as the instrument was changing. What I call the "Brat Pack" were a generation of pianists all seemingly born around the year of 1810: Chopin, Liszt, Thalberg, Schumann, etc. The Brat Pack really marked the radical departure from earlier piano playing.

The whole culture of the keyboard was different for the earlier generation. During Mozart's life, the piano was still seen as a sort of rythym section instrument to be accompanied by a cello, or a at least a violin. The harpsichord-trained generation of the 18^th century: Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn (etc) would approach the keys almost like typists, and there hand would stay (mostly) inert while there typewriter fingers would go to work. Even as late as Beethoven's Third piano concerto, it is obvious from the theme of the last movement that the typewriter hand was still dominating.

For a Chopin or a Liszt, all this orthodoxy was abandoned. For the early romantic-era pianist, the piano was a powerful, expressive solo instrument. By 1830, the piano had usurped the violin's position as the "instrument of virtuosos." For now on, a pianist's hands would jump from octave to octave. Pianist and recording artist, Emmanuel Ax, admitted that Chopin was really the first master to use wide, arching lines in the left hand. Beethoven's Fur Elise is a counterexample, but the point is that Chopin used them en rote in numerous places.

After this keyboard revolution, there was no going back. The bar had been raised on all musicians who would even try to approach the instrument. The music produced in the classical era would have to find a place on the shelf to collect dust. This was not the first time something like this had happened in history, nor was it to be the last.