160 pages, illustrated, indexed, glossary. Square format. An immaculate copy. Overseas customers please note the book is heavy and will attract additional postage. ""From its remarkable conception by Italian harpsichord maker Bartolomeo Cristofori in the 1690s and its evolution through the industrial revolution to mass production to the present day, the piano was guaranteed its popular appeal. At one time, not so long ago, you could find a piano in almost every home. Its flexibility for accompaniment, solo work, to lead an orchestra, as a tool for composers, or simply as a fine piece of furniture, is unrivalled among instruments - as is the claim that everyone is capable of playing something on a piano." "The Piano charts the instrument's historical development from its earliest days, revealing the close relationship famous composers had with particular makes. It also explores the anatomy of the piano in detail, and outlines what you should look for when choosing a piano of your own - upright or grand, new or secondhand. Finally, as the piano is far more sensitive to its environment than it looks, there is a section on caring for your piano and, for extreme cases, reconditioning, restoration, and rebuilding." (front flap)