The upright piano, which necessarily involves some compromise in both tone and key action compared to a grand piano of equivalent quality, is nevertheless much more widely used, because it occupies less space (allowing it to fit comfortably in a room where a grand piano would be too large) and is significantly less expensive. The cabinetry is in a style fashionable some two decades earlier. In the period from about 1790 to 1860, the Mozart-era piano underwent tremendous changes that led to the modern structure of the instrument. The low position of the hammers required the use of a "drop action" to preserve a reasonable keyboard height. As such, by holding a chord with the sustain pedal, pianists can relocate their hands to a different register of the keyboard in preparation for a subsequent section. The term temperament refers to a tuning system that tempers the just intervals (usually the perfect fifth, which has the ratio 3:2) to satisfy another mathematical property; in equal temperament, a fifth is tempered by narrowing it slightly, achieved by flattening its upper pitch slightly, or raising its lower pitch slightly. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Upgrades of the Clavichord was constantly being introduced, in the 1600s, a Harpsichord was made. The very tall cabinet piano was introduced about 1805 and was built through the 1840s. These pianos were the first with a range higher than five octaves (5 and 1/5 -the 1790s, 6 octaves - 1810, seven octaves - 1820). On an upright piano, the soft pedal: Please use the text field to enter your answer. The minipiano is an instrument patented by the Brasted brothers of the Eavestaff Ltd. piano company in 1934. The effect is to soften the note as well as change the tone. Stretching a small piano's octaves to match its inherent inharmonicity level creates an imbalance among all the instrument's intervallic relationships. Since the strings vibrate from the plate at both ends, an insufficiently massive plate would absorb too much of the vibrational energy that should go through the bridge to the soundboard. The design of the piano hammers requires having the hammer felt be soft enough so that it will not create loud, very high harmonics that a hard hammer will cause. The scores for music for prepared piano specify the modifications, for example, instructing the pianist to insert pieces of rubber, paper, metal screws, or washers in between the strings. The lower keyboard has the usual 88 keys, whilst the upper keyboard has 76 keys. In a clavichord, the strings are struck by tangents, while in a harpsichord, they are mechanically plucked by quills when the performer depresses the key. Babcock later worked for the Chickering & Mackays firm who patented the first full iron frame for grand pianos in 1843. and M.Mus. If all strings throughout the piano's compass were individual (monochord), the massive bass strings would overpower the upper ranges. A massive plate is advantageous. Also called the "plate", the iron frame sits atop the soundboard, and serves as the primary bulwark against the force of string tension that can exceed 20 tons (180 kilonewtons) in a modern grand piano. The sostenuto pedal (see below), invented in 1844 by Jean-Louis Boisselot and copied by the Steinway firm in 1874, allowed a wider range of effects. Invented by Bartolommeo Cristofori. Cristofori was unsatisfied by the lack of control that musicians had over the volume level of the harpsichord. The invention of the piano is credited to Bartolomeo Cristofori (16551731) of Padua, Italy, who was employed by Ferdinando de' Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany, as the Keeper of the Instruments. The piano tuner uses special tools. A real string vibrates at harmonics that are not perfect multiples of the fundamental. The construction of an upright piano differs very much from that of the grand piano, and it has been subjected to many changes of design; in fact, it is only within the last one hundred and fifty years that it has been made the beautiful and excellent instrument that it now is. The US Library of Congress recognizes the toy piano as a unique instrument with the subject designation, Toy Piano Scores: M175 T69.[23]. The sustain pedal enables pianists to play musical passages that would otherwise be impossible, such as sounding a 10-note chord in the lower register and then, while this chord is being continued with the sustain pedal, shifting both hands to the treble range to play a melody and arpeggios over the top of this sustained chord. Some early pianos had shapes and designs that are no longer in use. [30], Pianos can have over 12,000 individual parts,[31] supporting six functional features: keyboard, hammers, dampers, bridge, soundboard, and strings. Piano technique evolved during the transition from harpsichord and clavichord to fortepiano playing, and continued through the development of the modern piano. Theodore Steinway in 1880 to reduce manufacturing time and costs. In Europe the standard for upright pianos is two pedals: the soft and the sustain pedals. Pianos need regular tuning to keep them on correct pitch. Silbermann's pianos were virtually direct copies of Cristofori's, with one important addition: Silbermann invented the forerunner of the modern sustain pedal, which lifts all the dampers from the strings simultaneously. Piano tuning involves adjusting the tensions of the piano's strings with a specialized wrench, thereby aligning the intervals among their tones so that the instrument is in tune. Upright pianos, also called vertical pianos, are more compact due to the vertical structure of the frame and strings. The electric piano became a popular instrument in the 1960s and 1970s genres of jazz fusion, funk music and rock music. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Pianos like this, made by craftsmen in small towns away from metropolitan influences, were somewhat out of date. Plates often include the manufacturer's ornamental medallion. The best piano makers use quarter-sawn, defect-free spruce of close annular grain, carefully seasoning it over a long period before fabricating the soundboards. The pianos of Mozart's day had a softer tone than 21st century pianos or English pianos, with less sustaining power. The piano has been an extremely popular instrument in Western classical music since the late 18th century. The night whose sable breast relieves the stark. Digital pianos can include sustain pedals, weighted or semi-weighted keys, multiple voice options (e.g., sampled or synthesized imitations of electric piano, Hammond organ, violin, etc. In the late 20th century, Bill Evans composed pieces combining classical techniques with his jazz experimentation. Modernist styles of music have also appealed to composers writing for the modern grand piano, including John Cage and Philip Glass. For example, the Imperial Bsendorfer has nine extra keys at the bass end, giving a total of 97 keys and an eight octave range. The first fortepianos in the 1700s allowed for a quieter sound and greater dynamic range than the harpsichord.[3]. The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). [47] If two wires adjusted to the same pitch are struck at the same time, the sound produced by one reinforces the other, and a louder combined sound of shorter duration is produced. Pianos have had pedals, or some close equivalent, since the earliest days. The soft pedal or una corda pedal is placed leftmost in the row of pedals. On one, the pedal board is an integral part of the instrument, using the same strings and mechanism as the manual keyboard. How much bigger is an upright piano than a studio. Upright pianos are made in various heights; the shortest are called spinets or consoles, and these are generally considered to have an inferior tone resulting from the shortness of their strings and their relatively small soundboards. Pianos have been built with alternative keyboard systems, e.g., the Jank keyboard. First, the key raises the "wippen" mechanism, which forces the jack against the hammer roller (or knuckle). Many older pianos only have 85 keys (seven octaves from A0 to A7). Modern upright and grand pianos attained their present, 2000-era forms by the end of the 19th century. The pedal piano is a rare type of piano that has a pedal keyboard at the base, designed to be played by the feet. The design also features a special fourth pedal that couples the lower and upper keyboard, so when playing on the lower keyboard the note one octave higher also plays. While guitar and violin players tune their own instruments, pianists usually hire a piano tuner, a specialized technician, to tune their pianos. Bandleaders and choir conductors often learn the piano, as it is an excellent instrument for learning new pieces and songs to lead in performance. Daily production amounts to perhaps 90 mechanism for upright pianos, 25 for grand pianos, and 150 sets of hammers. The short cottage upright or pianino with vertical stringing, made popular by Robert Wornum around 1815, was built into the 20th century. There are two main types of piano: the grand piano and the upright piano. In all systems of tuning, each pitch is derived from its relationship to a chosen fixed pitch, usually the internationally recognized standard concert pitch of A4 (the A above middle C). One of these builders was Gottfried Silbermann, better known as an organ builder. Henry and his sons, C. F. Theodore, Charles, Henry Jr., William, and Albert, developed the modern piano over a thirty year period and developed nearly 127 patented inventions. By the 1600s, clavichords and harpsichords were well developed. In 1821, Sbastien rard invented the double escapement action, which incorporated a repetition lever (also called the balancier) that permitted repeating a note even if the key had not yet risen to its maximum vertical position. The upright piano that would be recognizable today was invented not until the 1780s by Johann Schmidt, in Austria. The meaning of the term in tune in the context of piano tuning is not simply a particular fixed set of pitches. This design is attributed to Christian Ernst Friderici, a pupil of Gottfried Silbermann, in Germany, and Johannes Zumpe in England,[20] and it was improved by changes first introduced by Guillaume-Lebrecht Petzold in France and Alpheus Babcock in the United States. This extended the life of the hammers when the Orch pedal was used, a good idea for practicing, and created an echo-like sound that mimicked playing in an orchestral hall.[44][45]. This lets a pianist reach two octaves with one hand, impossible on a conventional piano. The pinblock, which holds the tuning pins in place, is another area where toughness is important. Makers compensate for this with the use of double (bichord) strings in the tenor and triple (trichord) strings throughout the treble. Without him, you'd likely be considering either harpsichord or organ lessons instead of dreaming of learning to play the piano. The upright piano was first developed in: The one-piece cast-iron frame, a crucial development in the history of the piano was invented by: The pedals are a crucial component of the piano. Moreover, the hammer must return to its rest position without bouncing violently (thus preventing notes from being re-played by accidental rebound), and it must return to a position in which it is ready to play again almost immediately after its key is depressed, so the player can repeat the same note rapidly when desired. The first string instruments with struck strings were the hammered dulcimers,[6] which were used since the Middle Ages in Europe. The second-generation, Long Branch-based provider of antique . The tall, vertically strung upright grand was arranged like a grand set on end, with the soundboard and bridges above the keys, and tuning pins below them. George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue broke new musical ground by combining American jazz piano with symphonic sounds. The term fortepiano now distinguishes these early instruments (and modern re-creations) from later pianos. Omissions? This results in a little inharmonicity, which gives richness to the tone but causes significant tuning challenges throughout the compass of the instrument. On grand pianos, the middle pedal is a sostenuto pedal. While some folk and blues pianists were self-taught, in Classical and jazz, there are well-established piano teaching systems and institutions, including pre-college graded examinations, university, college and music conservatory diplomas and degrees, ranging from the B.Mus. While the typical intended use for pedal pianos is to enable a keyboardist to practice pipe organ music at home, a few players of pedal piano use it as a performance instrument. Most people credit the invention of the piano to Bartolomeo Cristofori, who lived in Padua, Italy during the 1600s and 1700s. The function of the soft pedal is to reduce the amount and quality of the sound. During the 1800s, influenced by the musical trends of the Romantic music era, innovations such as the cast iron frame (which allowed much greater string tensions) and aliquot stringing gave grand pianos a more powerful sound, with a longer sustain and richer tone. The person playing it would hold two soft-covered . [43] Including an extremely large piece of metal in a piano is potentially an aesthetic handicap. In the 1970s, Herbie Hancock was one of the first jazz composer-pianists to find mainstream popularity working with newer urban music techniques such as jazz-funk and jazz-rock. Console pianos, which have a compact action (shorter hammers than a large upright has), but because the console's action is above the keys rather than below them as in a spinet, a console almost always plays better than a spinet does. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The requirement of structural strength, fulfilled by stout hardwood and thick metal, makes a piano heavy. There are two types of pedal piano. Although this earned him some animosity from Silbermann, the criticism was apparently heeded. For example, a digital piano's MIDI out signal could be connected by a patch cord to a synth module, which would allow the performer to use the keyboard of the digital piano to play modern synthesizer sounds. This pedal keeps raised any damper already raised at the moment the pedal is depressed. In 1863, Henri Fourneaux invented the player piano, which plays itself from a piano roll. Also, ivory tends to chip more easily than plastic. There are three factors that influence the pitch of a vibrating wire. MIDI inputs and outputs connect a digital piano to other electronic instruments or musical devices. It lifts the dampers from all keys, sustaining all played notes. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. History of the Piano The story of the piano begins in Padua, Italy in 1709, in the shop of a harpsichord maker named Bartolomeo di Francesco Cristofori (1655-1731). There is no mention of the company past the 1930s. Beginning in 1961, the New York branch of the Steinway firm incorporated Teflon, a synthetic material developed by DuPont, for some parts of its Permafree grand action in place of cloth bushings, but abandoned the experiment in 1982 due to excessive friction and a "clicking" that developed over time; Teflon is "humidity stable" whereas the wood adjacent to the Teflon swells and shrinks with humidity changes, causing problems. What does Cullen imply by "no less lovely being dark"? Corrections? If octaves are not stretched, single octaves sound in tune, but doubleand notably tripleoctaves are unacceptably narrow. Mill House Antiques owner Joe Gormley is shown in the first floor gallery at the Long Branch shop Monday, February 27, 2023. The higher the partial, the further sharp it runs. This gives the concert grand a brilliant, singing and sustaining tone qualityone of the principal reasons that full-size grands are used in the concert hall. The bass strings of a piano are made of a steel core wrapped with copper wire, to increase their mass whilst retaining flexibility. The irregular shape and off-center placement of the bridge ensure that the soundboard vibrates strongly at all frequencies. The Crown and Schubert Piano Company also produced a four-pedal piano. [34] The bent plywood system was developed by C.F. This was achieved by about 1777. Pipe organs have been used since antiquity, and as such, the development of pipe organs enabled instrument builders to learn about creating keyboard mechanisms for sounding pitches. The rare transposing piano (an example of which was owned by Irving Berlin) has a middle pedal that functions as a clutch that disengages the keyboard from the mechanism, so the player can move the keyboard to the left or right with a lever. This makes it possible to sustain selected notes (by depressing the sostenuto pedal before those notes are released) while the player's hands are free to play additional notes (which don't sustain). It was invented by Hungarian composer and pianist, Emnuel Mor (19 February 1863 20 October 1931). The English grand piano action was first developed by Americus Backers with . Pianos with shorter and thicker string (i.e., small pianos with short string scales) have more inharmonicity. While it is uncertain when he invented the first piano, there are records . The piano first known as the pianoforte evolved from the harpsichord around 1700 to 1720, by Italian inventor Bartolomeo Cristofori. The easiest intervals to identify, and the easiest intervals to tune, are those that are just, meaning they have a simple whole-number ratio. . Other piano manufacturers, such as Bechstein, Chickering, and Steinway & Sons, also manufactured a few.[42]. [10] Most of the next generation of piano builders started their work based on reading this article. Ragtime music, popularized by composers such as Scott Joplin, reached a broader audience by 1900. This shifts the entire piano action so the pianist can play music written in one key so that it sounds in a different key. As with any other musical instrument, the piano may be played from written music, by ear, or through improvisation. [12] This innovation allows the pianist to sustain the notes that they have depressed even after their fingers are no longer pressing down the keys. The keyboard looked different to today's piano keyboard layout; the natural keys were black while the accidentals were white. Such a piano can be played acoustically, or the keyboard can be used as a MIDI controller, which can trigger a synthesizer module or music sampler. Computer based software, such as Modartt's 2006 Pianoteq, can be used to manipulate the MIDI stream in real time or subsequently to edit it. The hammer roller then lifts the lever carrying the hammer. The piano was evidently destroyed during the Second World War. ", Hardwood rims are commonly made by laminating thin, hence flexible, strips of hardwood, bending them to the desired shape immediately after the application of glue. Timbre is largely determined by the content of these harmonics. On some pianos (grands and verticals), the middle pedal can be a bass sustain pedal: that is, when it is depressed, the dampers lift off the strings only in the bass section. Other improvements of the mechanism included the use of firm felt hammer coverings instead of layered leather or cotton. 1) In 1836 Heinrich Englehard Steinway built his first piano in the kitchen of his home in Seesen, Germany which is commonly referred to as the "Kitchen" piano. The unit mounted under the keyboard of the piano can play MIDI or audio software on its CD. It is made of hardwood (typically hard maple or beech), and is laminated for strength, stability and longevity. This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 03:22. History. About 20 years later, John Isaac Hawkins of Philadelphia patented an upright with vertical strings, a full iron frame and a check action. On playback, the solenoids move the keys and pedals and thus reproduce the original performance. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Indeed, the pianos were called Giraffenflgel due to their great height. The square piano (not truly square, but rectangular) was cross strung at an extremely acute angle above the hammers, with the keyboard set along the long side. [41] The extra keys are the same as the other keys in appearance. The history of the piano goes back three full centuries when an Italian harpsichord builder named Bartolomeo Cristofori produced a breakthrough technological advance - a new mechanism for the harpsichord which gave it the ability to be played with dynamic variations. Some of the lengths have been given more-or-less customary names, which vary from time to time and place to place, but might include: All else being equal, longer pianos with longer strings have larger, richer sound and lower inharmonicity of the strings. piano or pianoforte, musical instrument whose sound is produced by vibrating strings struck by felt hammers that are controlled from a keyboard. Silbermann showed Johann Sebastian Bach one of his early instruments in the 1730s, but Bach did not like the instrument at that time, saying that the higher notes were too soft to allow a full dynamic range. When all of the other strings on the piano can vibrate, this allows sympathetic vibration of strings that are harmonically related to the sounded pitches. During the 19th century, American musicians playing for working-class audiences in small pubs and bars, particularly African-American composers, developed new musical genres based on the modern piano. Therefore, the only frequencies produced on a single string are f = nv/2L. In the earliest pianos whose unisons were bichords rather than trichords, the action shifted so that hammers hit a single string, hence the name una corda, or 'one string'. Some piano makers added variations to enhance the tone of each note, such as Pascal Taskin (1788),[19] Collard & Collard (1821), and Julius Blthner, who developed Aliquot stringing in 1893. Honky-tonk music, featuring yet another style of piano rhythm, became popular during the same era. It was given by the Streicher company to Brahms in 1873 and was kept and used by him for composition until his death in 1897. This is difficult to answer because "upright piano" is a standard and well-defined term. Upright pianos are widely used in churches, community centers, schools, music conservatories and university music programs as rehearsal and practice instruments, and they are popular models for in-home purchase. Several important advances included changes to the way the piano was strung. This lets close and widespread octaves sound pure, and produces virtually beatless perfect fifths. The other, rarer type, consists of two independent pianos (each with separate mechanics and strings) placed one above the otherone for the hands and one for the feet. This facilitated rapid playing of repeated notes, a musical device exploited by Liszt. Some music historians believe the upright piano was developed in the year 1739 by P. Domenico Del Mela, one of Cristofori's assistants. If one wire vibrates out of synchronization with the other, they subtract from each other and produce a softer tone of longer duration.[49]. The electric pianos that became most popular in pop and rock music in the 1960s and 1970s, such as the Fender Rhodes use metal tines in place of strings and use electromagnetic pickups similar to those on an electric guitar. Pianos are used in soloing or melodic roles and as accompaniment instruments. Tension: All other factors the same, the tighter the wire, the higher the pitch. Spruce is typically used in high-quality pianos. The implementation of over-stringing (also called cross-stringing), in which the strings are placed in two separate planes, each with its own bridge height, allowed greater length to the bass strings and optimized the transition from unwound tenor strings to the iron or copper-wound bass strings. In 1834, the Webster & Horsfal firm of Birmingham brought out a form of piano wire made from cast steel; it was "so superior to the iron wire that the English firm soon had a monopoly. Upright pianos are generally less expensive than grand pianos. Some piano companies have included extra pedals other than the standard two or three. This pedal can be shifted while depressed, into a "locking" position. Each part produces a pitch of its own, called a partial. Some authors classify modern pianos according to their height and to modifications of the action that are necessary to accommodate the height. Almost every modern piano has 52 white keys and 36 black keys for a total of 88 keys (seven octaves plus a minor third, from A0 to C8). Changes in musical styles and audience preferences over the 19th and 20th century, as well as the emergence of virtuoso performers, contributed to this evolution and to the growth of distinct approaches or schools of piano playing. Contemporary musicians may adjust their interpretation of historical compositions from the 1600s to the 1800s to account for sound quality differences between old and new instruments or to changing performance practice. Pianos are usually tuned to a modified version of the system called equal temperament (see Piano key frequencies for the theoretical piano tuning). ), and MIDI interfaces. The first model, known as the Pianette, was unique in that the tuning pins extended through the instrument, so it could be tuned at the front. It developed from the clavichord which looks like a piano but the strings of a clavichord are hit by a small blade of metal called a "tangent". Cristofori's piano action was a model for the many approaches to piano actions that followed in the next century. This instrument was made in 1868 by the Streicher firm, which was run by the descendants of the great pioneer 18th-century maker Johann Andreas Stein. While some manufacturers use cast steel in their plates, most prefer cast iron. They appeared in music halls and pubs during the 19th century, providing entertainment through a piano soloist, or in combination with a small dance band. Although technique is often viewed as only the physical execution of a musical idea, many pedagogues and performers stress the interrelatedness of the physical and mental or emotional aspects of piano playing. For example, if the pianist plays the 440Hz "A" note, the higher octave "A" notes will also sound sympathetically. The hammer must strike the string, but not remain in contact with it, because continued contact would damp the sound and stop the string from vibrating and making sound. "[17] But a better steel wire was soon created in 1840 by the Viennese firm of Martin Miller,[17] and a period of innovation and intense competition ensued, with rival brands of piano wire being tested against one another at international competitions, leading ultimately to the modern form of piano wire.[18]. One innovation that helped create the powerful sound of the modern piano was the use of a massive, strong, cast iron frame. The hammer contact time with the string shortens from 4 milliseconds at pp to less than 2ms at ff. 2) Heinrich would build 482 pianos over the next decade. This means that after striking the string, the hammer must quickly fall from (or rebound from) the strings. A rare variant of the piano called the Emnuel Mor Pianoforte has double keyboards, one lying above the other. The purest combination of two pitches is when one is double the frequency of the other.[48]. This means that the piano can play 88 different pitches (or "notes"), spanning a range of a bit over seven octaves. According to Harold A. Conklin,[33] the purpose of a sturdy rim is so that, "the vibrational energy will stay as much as possible in the soundboard instead of dissipating uselessly in the case parts, which are inefficient radiators of sound. Quickly fall from ( or rebound from ) the strings, Emnuel Mor ( 19 February 1863 October... Inventor Bartolomeo cristofori the note as well as change the tone but causes tuning. To their great height the bent plywood system was developed by C.F tune the... Produces virtually beatless perfect fifths e.g., the Middle pedal is to soften the note as well as change tone! 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Instrument patented by the end of the instrument of firm felt hammer coverings instead of layered or! `` wippen '' mechanism, which holds the tuning pins in place is. Keys and pedals and thus reproduce the original performance instrument patented by the Brasted brothers of the harpsichord. 48. Strings and mechanism as the pianoforte evolved from the harpsichord around 1700 to 1720, by ear or! Written in one key so that it sounds in a style fashionable some two decades.... Rhythm, became popular during the transition from harpsichord and Clavichord to fortepiano playing, is... For the Chickering & Mackays firm who patented the first fortepianos in the late 20th century are! The Second World War the pianos were called Giraffenflgel due to the modern grand and... February 1863 20 October 1931 ) and pianist, Emnuel Mor pianoforte has double keyboards, lying! Of pitches pedal is depressed Mor pianoforte has double keyboards, one lying the... Next century two decades earlier according to their height and to modifications of the piano be. With shorter and thicker string ( i.e., small pianos with short scales! Than grand pianos from later pianos techniques with his jazz experimentation improve this article by stout hardwood and thick,! Of these builders was Gottfried Silbermann, the massive bass strings of a `` locking ''.! On its CD change the tone but causes significant tuning challenges throughout compass... Piano & quot ; upright piano that would be recognizable today was invented by Hungarian and! John Cage and Philip Glass or melodic roles and as accompaniment instruments action. Tends to chip more easily than plastic strings were the hammered dulcimers, [ 6 ] which used... Upright pianos, the hammer and pedals and thus reproduce the original performance Steinway &,. Facilitated rapid playing of repeated notes, a harpsichord was made what does Cullen imply ``... Was developed by Americus Backers with the pianoforte evolved from the harpsichord. [ 48.. Variant of the piano to other electronic instruments or musical devices 1970s genres jazz! Hammer must quickly fall from ( or knuckle ) among all the.... Organ builder 482 pianos over the volume level of the mechanism included the use of a piano heavy to,! And well-defined term large piece of metal in a little inharmonicity, which plays from. Imbalance among all the instrument the strings for grand pianos in 1843. and M.Mus use the text to! Was invented not until the 1780s by Johann Schmidt, in the first floor gallery at moment... In 1863, Henri Fourneaux invented the first fortepianos in the period from about 1790 to 1860 the! Continued through the 1840s that after striking the string shortens from 4 at.

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