Question

according to case study 2.1, what was a significant technical reason why 18th - century musicians were initially hesitant to switch from the harpsichord to cristofori’s piano?

• the piano’s touch - sensitive mechanism required a new, counterintuitive playing technique to compensate for the varying physical strength of a player’s fingers.
• the piano utilized a plectrum to pluck strings, which created a sound that was considered too aggressive for courtly music.
• cristofori’s use of expensive materials like ebony and gold made the instrument’s maintenance costs prohibitive for professional musicians.
• the piano lacked the “escapement mechanism” found in harpsichords, making it impossible to repeat notes quickly during fast passages.

Explanation:

1. The harpsichord uses a plectrum to pluck strings, not the piano, so the second option is incorrect.
2. Cristofori's early pianos did not use prohibitively expensive materials like gold, so the third option is incorrect.
3. Cristofori's piano invented the escapement mechanism (a key innovation that let it repeat notes), so the fourth option is incorrect.
4. The piano's touch-sensitive action required players to use varying finger strength to control volume, a new, counterintuitive skill compared to the harpsichord, which produced uniform volume regardless of touch. This was a major technical barrier for 18th-century musicians.

Answer:

The piano's touch-sensitive mechanism required a new, counterintuitive playing technique to compensate for the varying physical strength of a player's fingers.