The introduction of the hammer in the place of the tiny nib permitted the modification of the quality of sound by differences in the pressure of the fingers, and also the production at will of such nuances as _forte_ and _piano_ without recourse to the different registers. This is the reason why the new instrument was first called the pianoforte. The word was long and cumbersome and was cut in half. When it became necessary to _assault_ the note, they used the phrase 'to hit the forte.' The papers which gave accounts of young Mozart"s concerts praised him for his ability to 'hit.'