[pianoforte; fortepiano]
A keyboard instrument, the strings of which are struck by rebounding hammers. It was originally called pianoforte (It.: “soft-loud”) or fortepiano, because the loudness of its sound could be varied by the player’s touch. The piano has played an important role in American life since the late 18th century, when learning the instrument was considered a genteel occupation for young ladies; by the late 19th century it had become an essential item in many homes. American piano builders, seeking to satisfy the taste of American musicians and to meet the challenges of the American climate, developed manufacturing and sales techniques and new features, such as the one-piece metal frame, which by the 1870s enabled them to dominate the world piano trade.
Pianos were used and made in North America by the 1770s. The earliest known reference to a piano there is a notice in the New-York Gazette and Weekly Mercury...