The history of the modern piano in 22 instruments

Ratko Delorko is a Hamburg born pianist, conductor, composer, and educator. He has performed in Berlin, Vienna, and throughout Europe and, in addition to an active tour schedule, lectures at The University of Frankfurt.


Dr. Delorko has always had a keen interest in the exploration of his art. He sought out wonderful music by lesser known composers and, as a result, has made many first recordings of previously unknown compositions. This interest has also extended to the instruments themselves.


Delorko has made "period instrument" recordings of Beethoven concerti and has explored the makes and makers that have enjoyed the admiration of composers and artists over the past 300 years. His interest has matured into a program\recital that is called The Piano History.


This presentation uses 22 different instruments on one stage and traces the changes that the piano has gone through by featuring period pieces on each instrument. We felt that this presentation is particularly important for American pianists to experience, at least through video.


Here in the United States, pianists do not have the same opportunity to experience the color and variety that the composers we practice and perform regularly took for granted. There is a wonderful variety that performers in Europe experience regularly that a stunning number of American pianists have never even played! In one concert hall they may play a Bosendorfer, in another a Bechstein, or Grotrian, or Bluthner, or Hamburg Steinway.


The following two videos are each about 10 minutes and take excerpts from each performance in the program. The time you spend viewing these videos may offer a perspective you have never had into a piece you have played for years.



The Piano History, Part 1










The Piano History, Part 2





Although we have tremendous respect for Dr. Delorko and this project, we do have two pieces of criticism:


1) The only American piano included in this history was a Steinway built in the 1870's. Surely America contributed more than that to piano history.

2) Although this presentation traces the history of the piano, it ignores the difference in touch and tone that exists between someof the finest pianos built in the world today! This is a subject that would be wonderful to explore in the future, Dr. Delorko.



We welcome and encourage your comments on this particular post. We truly feel that this subject is of tremendous value to pianists and it deserves a dialogue.

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