Music

I wrote this a while back and I wanted to share it with you girls, because it reminded me that no matter how old you are, you can play or sing for the glory of the Lord. At church this week we had only one Grown up on the worship teem the rest were kids, not teens, but children! It was so beautiful. And after remembering this article I wrote I was reminded that you don't have to be a Beethoven, or a Mozart, to play your instrument and give God glory, you just have to play your best and give your music to Him and that is what makes true worship. So this week don't be afraid to lift your voice to Christ or play for Him. You will give Him glory and you will be learning more. So take heart as you read this and be encouraged that many people gave their music to God, and He blessed that, and so can you.

An Essay on the History of the Piano

By Joelle Lucas

Bach once said, "Music's only purpose should be for the glory of God and the recreation of the human spirit."

Music is one of God's greatest gifts to mankind. It is a way that we can express our great love and devotion to our transcendent Creator! The piano is one of many instruments used for such a purpose. So, to better understand music and the piano, let us first explore the invention of the piano.

The ancestor of the piano is the harpsichord. Since the 1400's the harpsichord was one of the most popular instruments used. Because organs (used only by the king or the church) were very expensive, the harpsichord was affordable for most well-to-do families.

Though the harpsichord looks much like the piano, there really is quite a difference. The harpsichord is similar to what it was named for… the harp. The harp is made of taut strings of different lengths. That alone is not very different from the piano. However, the way the harpsichord was strung made it so that it would only play at one volume and instead of holding the note for a time the harpsichord would just "pluck" the string giving it that very distinct sound. The word pianoforte means soft/loud because it can change its volume level. This is the accurate name for what has been shortened to piano. According to the dictionary of musical terms pianoforte means, "a keyboard stringed instrument of percussion, the tones being produced by hammers striking the keys". Much of the music played on the piano today was originally written for the harpsichord. We know this from the dates the music was composed. This helps pianists know how the piece was intended to be played.

The piano was first invented in the early 1700's, though there is some debate if there was one that was made in the late 1500's, or if it was just a type of loud/soft harpsichord. One of the additions to the pianoforte was that there are now (usually) three pedals. The one on the right is used for sustaining notes, The left for diminishing the impact of the hammers, making it softer, and lastly the middle pedal is used for either sustaining some notes or really quieting the piano for practicing (this last one is usually on uprights only). There are now three types of pianos commonly known today. They are the Grand, the Square, and the Upright.

Some of the earlier Christian composers who wrote pieces for the piano were; Handel, J.S. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. All of these men had committed themselves to God and wanted to honour Him through their music. Whether it was through their church, through consorts or composing music their aim was achieved. Today we enjoy the fruits of their labors on pianos of all different varieties.

"God is ever before my eyes. I realize His omnipotence and I fear His anger; but I also recognize His love, His compassion, and tenderness towards His creatures." –Mozart.