The Real Story Behind Pythagoras and the Piano: Understanding the Evolution of Musical Tuning
Pythagoras, the ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician, has long been credited with significant contributions to music theory, particularly through his work on the relationships between mathematics and musical intervals. Many are surprised to learn that Pythagoras did not design the piano as we know it today. Instead, the piano evolved through a complex history that spanned centuries, with the significant contributions of both Pythagoras and other scientists and musicians. This article will explore the true story behind Pythagoras and the piano, as well as the influence of his mathematical insights on the development of musical instruments and theory over the centuries.
Pythagoras’s Influence on Music
Pythagoras's impact on music can be summarized in a few key points, including:
Mathematical Ratios
Pythagoras discovered that musical intervals can be expressed in simple numerical ratios. For example, the octave is a 2:1 ratio, the perfect fifth is a 3:2 ratio, and the perfect fourth is a 4:3 ratio. These ratios help explain why certain combinations of notes sound harmonious.
Harmonics
His studies led to an understanding of harmonic relationships, which laid the groundwork for later developments in music theory.
Pythagorean Tuning
This system of tuning based on Pythagorean intervals influenced the way instruments, including early keyboard instruments, were tuned before equal temperament became standard.
The Evolution of the Piano
The piano itself evolved from earlier keyboard instruments such as the harpsichord and clavichord, which were developed in Europe during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. Bartolomeo Cristofori is credited with inventing the first true piano around 1700. His design allowed for dynamic expression, where the volume of the sound could vary based on how hard the keys were struck—a feature not present in earlier instruments.
While Pythagoras did not design the piano, his mathematical insights into music laid important foundations that influenced the development of musical instruments and theory over the centuries.
The Real Story of the Piano
It's widely believed that Pythagoras had a direct role in designing the piano, but in reality, he played a more indirect role in the creation of musical scales and temperament systems. He discovered the scale overtones and the circle of fifths. This is a fascinating story:
Pythagoras's Discovery: Overtones and the Circle of Fifths
Pythagoras is said to have discovered the scale overtones and the circle of fifths by walking past a blacksmith's shop one day and hearing him pounding on metal bars, which produced different pitches. Fascinated, he experimented with the sizes of the bars to create different pitches. From these experiments, handmade instruments popped up all over the world, but there were significant intonation problems. No two instruments were perfectly alike, leading to variations in tuning.
The Struggle with Temperament
For almost two thousand years, musicians, physicists, and mathematicians struggled with making the notes work the way they wanted them to. This is called temperament. One of the most frustrating issues was tuning sevenths and higher fifths. By the time the 13th pitch was cut from the bars, it was out of tune, which humans found unacceptable.
The Birth of Well-Temperament
It wasn't until the time of Bach in the 1700s that a piano was tuned to be "well-tempered." This was also the period of the Industrial Revolution, during which machines were created to build instruments with identical perfection. With well-tempered tuning, all instruments could play in every key, with built-in adjustments, ensuring that every octave was in tune. This is akin to the leap year, where we create an extra day to synchronize our calendar with the earth's orbit around the sun.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while Pythagoras did not directly design the piano, his mathematical insights into music were fundamental in laying the groundwork for the development of musical instruments and theory. These developments continue to influence music and technology today, contributing to the rich history and evolution of music as an art form.