Cristofori "invents" the piano

[Bill Kibby]

That's rather an over-simplification, many of the ideas were in place with his Arpicembalo around 1698, and the piano is thought to have been invented in 1707, and shown to the "world" in 1709. Within a century of his death, his ideas were forgotten or ignored, and all credit was (despite french arguments) being laid at the door of the german makers. Many of his important and well-conceived principles were lost, and had to be re-invented. As for celebration, I'm reminded of a trip to Florence, where his name was never mentioned, and I've yet to find any book about Florence which mentions this, the greatest musical invention of all time. I trained with a tuner from Florence who didn't know about it.

[Gill the Piano]

Well, I might raise a glass or two...does that count as a celebration?

[Bill Kibby]

I wouldn't want to cast nasturtiums, but wouldn't that depend on how unusual an event it is for you to raise a glass? There has been an "ongoing" event called "300 years of the piano".

[Gill the Piano]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Well we've been sleeping in the knife drawer, haven't we???