On Mon, 28 Aug 2006 14:51:01 +0200, Thomas Dent wrote:
> The article is available via 'advance access' to online Early Music
> subscribers. The abstract is reproduced below. No word on when the
> August issue is due to appear in print...
> 
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Recent approaches in understanding Cristofori's fortepiano
> 
> Denzil Wraight
> 
> Although Bartolomeo Cristofori 
snip> 
> Cristofori's ingenious double-bentside construction made possible a
> heavier stringing than in his harpsichords. 
snip
> By 1726 Cristofori had developed hammerheads with sizes increasing
> from treble to bass, which clearly indicate his intention to graduate
> the tone colour and avoid the brighter, harder tone at normal playing
> volumes. His use of brass strings and cypress for the soundboards tend
> to produce a warmer, softer sound than results with the iron strings
> and spruce soundboards normally used in pianos.

ahem.
which doesn't explain why the concurrent hpschds he made also had the 
same scale and internal bentside. 
See Kerstin Schwarz on this topic, one she knows more about than anyone 
else.

If anything, cypress soundbords go to a more open cripser sound, not a 
sweet one. The smaller hammers in the treble are just to keep the 
contact pad from deadening the sound before the hammer can rebound.
Stephen, you out there?
And, regardless if brass or steel, the tension of a proper scale is the 
same. In fact, long italian hpschds like BC's have a higher total 
tension than a 2x8 flemish.

regards,

Bill

'Dogs look at you like they know
what you've done, and they're going to tell the other dogs'

GKC.