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Bartolomeo Cristofori

Biographies

John Dilworth Cecie Stainer

John Dilworth

CRISTOFORI, Bartolomeo Born 1653 Padua, died 1731 Florence Italy. Important figure in the history of musical instruments. Most famous as a maker of keyboards and as the inventor of the piano. His name appears on the list of apprentices in the household of Nicolò Amati in Cremona in 1680. In Florence by 1709 he was officially appointed musical instrument maker to Prince Ferdinando and, after the latter’s death in 1713, responsible for the inventory of his instrument collection drawn up in 1716. This catalogue is an immensely important document. A double bass with his label dated 1715 is preserved in the Cherubini Museum in Florence, but several large size cellos of very fine and distinctive form are known. These recall strongly the style of Gabrielli, who may have been a pupil. The work is very refined, with recognisably Cremonese proportions. Bartolommeo Cristofori / Firenze 1715 Bartholomaeus de Christofaris / Patavinus / faciebat Florentiae 1718