Fortepiano was a common name for hammered keyboard instruments from early 18th to mid-19th century. It has leather-bound hammers and harpsichord-like strings. It can produce a varying intensity of tone, depending on the pressure of the player’s touch, Fortepiano means ‘loud-soft’ in Italian.

It was rendered obsolete by technical developments, but has been revived by performers working with period instruments. Present-day performers include Malcolm Bilson, Trevor Pinnock, Gustav Leonhardt and Jörg Demus.

The pianoforte was a development of the fortepiano and in turn the direct ancestor of the modern piano.