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<DIV><FONT color=#800080><FONT face="Goudy Old Style">It is my =
understanding
that Cristofori originally called his instrument a <SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Goudy Old Style'; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><EM>gravicembalo
col piano e forte</EM>, or, </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Goudy Old Style'; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Goudy Old Style'; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><EM>a
large harpsichord with soft and loud</EM>. From this we derived, in =
English, <EM>pianoforte</EM> and, ultimately,
<EM>piano</EM>. </SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Goudy Old Style" color=#800080><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Goudy Old Style'; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Goudy Old Style'; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: =
AR-SA"></SPAN></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#800080><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Goudy Old Style'; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Goudy Old Style'; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">My
question is--why (and when) did the name get shortened to =
<EM>piano</EM>? Why
not <EM>forte</EM>? And why are instruments built after the designs of =
the 18th
and early 19th century builders called <EM>fortepianos</EM> and not
<EM>pianofortes</EM>?</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Goudy Old Style" color=#800080><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Goudy Old Style'; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Goudy Old Style'; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; =
mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: =
AR-SA"></SPAN></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Goudy Old Style" =
color=#800080>Regards,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Goudy Old Style" color=#800080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Goudy Old Style" color=#800080>Del</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Goudy Old Style"
color=#800080></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>