0_Apprentice
I'm learning how to play the piano.
1_Wizard
That's wonderful. It is a beautiful instrument, invented in Italy in the 1700s by Bartolomeo Cristofori.
0_Apprentice
How many keys does a piano have?
1_Wizard
A piano has 88 keys, which are essentially small levers which you press down on and cause the little hammers inside to strike the strings.
0_Apprentice
Oh, so that's how it works. How are modern pianos different from the ones used in the past?
1_Wizard
The main difference is that the "fortepianos", as they were then called, had a quieter sound and smaller range than their modern counterparts.
0_Apprentice
Interesting. Are there different types of pianos?
1_Wizard
There are differences between piano manufacturers. The most famous is probablay Steinway & Sons, founded in Manhattan in 1853.
0_Apprentice
Does Steinway & Sons still manufacture pianos today?
1_Wizard
Yes they do. Their factory in New York makes pianos for the Americas and their Hamburg factory manufactures pianos for the rest of the world.