A HISTORY OF THE PIANOFORTE AND PIANOFORTE PLAYERS [Frontispiece: Portrait of Franz Liszt.] A HISTORY OF THE PIANOFORTE AND PIANOFORTE PLAYERS TRANSLATED AND REVISED FROM THE GERMAN OF OSCAR BIE BY E. E. KELLETT, M.A. AND E. W. NAYLOR, M.A., MUS.D. WITH NUMEROUS PORTRAITS, ILLUSTRATIONS, AND FACSIMILES [Illustration: colophon] LONDON J. M. DENT & COMPANY NEW YORK E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY MDCCCXCIX _All rights reserved_ Dedicated TO EUGENE D’ALBERT Editors’ Preface This work does not profess to be so much a literal translation as a somewhat free version of Dr Bie’s “Das Klavier.” The author, writing as he does for a German public, naturally uses a more philosophic style than would be generally intelligible in England. Availing themselves, therefore, of Dr Bie’s kind permission, the Editors, with a view to making the book more acceptable to English readers, have allowed themselves considerable liberty both in omission and in addition. For all portions of the text which are enclosed in square brackets they hold themselves responsible. The footnotes, except a few which are specially marked, have been added by Dr Naylor. E. W. N. E. E. K. Contents CHAP. PAGE I. OLD ENGLAND--A PRELUDE 1 The Domestic Character of the Piano, p. 2. Queen Elizabeth at the Spinet, p. 3. Shakespeare and Music, p. 5. Mediæval Church Music, p. 7. Ecclesiastical use of Folk Songs, p. 8. Popular Contrapuntal Music, p. 9. The Folk Song and the Instrument, p. 10. The Organ and the Lute, p. 11. The Clavier and Secular Music, p. 12. Italian influence in England, p. 13. Cultivation of Music in England, p. 15. First Books of Clavier Music, p. 16. Classes of old English Pieces, p. 17. The Virginal, p. 18. History of the Clavier, p. 19. The Clavichord, p. 21. The Clavicymbal, p. 23. Virginal Pieces, p. 26. Thomas Tallis, p. 27. William Bird, p. 28. John Bull, p. 32. Other Composers, p. 38. II. OLD FRENCH DANCE PIECES 40