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Piano 300: Celebrating Three Centuries of People and Pianos

March 9, 2000 - October 21, 2001

Museum: Ripley Center

Location: Ripley Center, International Gallery

To commemorate the 300th anniversary of the piano, invented circa 1700 by Bartolomeo Cristofori (1655-1732), this exhibition examines the influence of the piano and highlights the American History Museum's distinguished collection. On view are almost two dozen instruments from the museum's collection; manuscripts by such composers as Mozart, Chopin, Liszt, Gershwin, and Ellington; tools; photographs; play bills; sheet music; and other memorabilia.

Highlights include:

• a grand piano by Bartolomeo Cristofori, Florence, Italy, 1722 -- one of three extant instruments by the inventor -- on loan from the Museo degli Strumenti Musicali, Rome
• a square piano by Chickering and Sons, Boston, 1850 
• Paderewski's grand piano by Steinway & Sons, New York, 1892
• Irving Berlin's upright Transposing Piano by Weber, New York, 1940
• Liberace's grand piano by Baldwin, Cincinnati, 1984
• an Erard grand piano presented to Prince Albert by Queen Victoria
• Video Theater; runs continuously
• 2 Listening Stations

Catalogue (cloth)