Comic Riffs

Who invented the piano? We help Google Doodle saluteCristofori with this tune

By Michael Cavna May 4 at 10:00 AM

DESPITE HIS name being too little known today, Bartolomeo Cristofori is worth lighting an immense

candelabrum for. As the inventor of the piano, Signor Cristoforis legacy, if not his name, sustains.

Google is celebrating the Italian inventor today, on the 360th anniversary of his birth, with an interactive Bach-

playing animation.

And here, to celebrate the original Piano Man himself, is our dashed-off little ditty (set to the tune of, of course,

Billy Joels Piano Man):

Its just past midnight on a Monday morn

A new Google Doodles popping in

Theres an old man sitting at the bench

Playing Bach on his very own invention

We say: Is that the work of Cristofori?

The art of Bart-o-lo-meo?

Hell play and hell sway on his birthday

And his forte is the piano

(La la la, plunk da da

La la, plink plink da da dum)

Play us Jesu, youre the Piano Man

Can you cantata but bold?

Were here to salute you, Cristofori

You look awful good for 360 years old.

Now Leon Hong is a friend to you

He Doodled you stylishly

He let you play both softly and forte

Aided by Google Italy, and engineer Scalisi

We say: Bart, your Bach is thrilling us

See, you invented the true hammer time

Lets not be bored by the plucked harpsichord

You put your foot down, right on a redesign.

Now Bart, you were a talented tinkerer

Forgotten to most of historys cheers.

But you shoulda been a star

The Medicis put bread in your jar

And said: Signore, what are you tuning here?

Now the Braganza queen proved most key

As in time, your signature device did find hosts

Silbermann helped your legacy sustain

Less so your name so unknown to most.

But play us some Bach, youre the Piano Man.

Joy of Desiring today.

Well, were all hammered like your instrument

Soused by the sound of Barts art when its played.

Now, you stayed in the court till your dirge was here.

Struck your final chord in 1731.

Only three of your pianos survive today.

But your legacy sustains

Like the longest of runs.

Happy birthday, Signor Cristofori!

Writer/artist/visual storyteller Michael Cavna is creator of the "Comic Riffs" column and

graphic-novel reviewer for The Post's Book World. He relishes sharp-eyed satire in most any

form.