I was today revisiting the epoch-making C.P.E. Bach first Württembergischen
Sonaten, Berlin 1742. Perhaps not the first post-baroque rococo/classical
music, but arguably the earliest keyboard masterpieces of the new style.

While the Sonata 1 has only "forte" and "piano" in an idiom that is
perfectly suitable for the two-manual harpsichord, the Sonata 2 has also
"pianissimo", with a musical language strongly suggesting the clavichord.

Certainly J.S. Bach (and a few others before him) had prescribed
"pianissimos" much earlier, but AFAIK not in keyboard scores.

I would be glad to know about music earlier than 1742 with more than 2
loudness levels, thus clearly showing that the preferred instrument is the
clavichord.

Best

CDV


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