Hi Charles, The rod is a tensioning rod, and is not under compression. same principle as the thin cross slats that go between the beams. Roger At 01:08 PM 2/1/01 -0600, you wrote: >Hi Ed, > >The first time I found that one of our students had removed a strut >(diagonal bar) from a D I flew into an apoplectic rage. Much to my >surprise, however, it just slipped back in. Since then, I have >routinely removed this bar for damper work, etc. on several D's >without the least resistance or consequence. > >My understanding is that the bar is not there to bear compressive >tension from the strings, but to support the plate at a weak point >when the piano is on its side, being moved. It was described to me >as a design enhancement to prevent plate fracturing during moving, >especially if the piano is dropped on the spine side. Otherwise, in >my experience, it would appear to be a useless appendage. > >My approach here at UT has been to treat extended techniques and >prepared piano performance as a valid and legitimate endeavor, and to >support it by helping to train the students and faculty in "safe" >techniques. I like to say that it is more important to "prepare" the >pianist, than the piano. The dampers are the most vulnerable system, >especially when there is strumming in the heat of a performance. >Make sure that the performer is careful to avoid that area. > >BTW, Ed, a piano faculty member is performing the Goldberg Variations >this weekend on harpsichord and piano, with the hps tuned unequally. >I will give a brief talk about the differences. I chose to use the >Kirnberger temperament, because (1) he was a student of Bach, (2) it >has just intervals in the basic key of the piece, (3) it has big >color contrasts, (4) the name sounds somewhat like a sandwich. > > >Warm regards, > >Charles > > > > >>Greetings, >> Crumb has come to Vanderbilt, and the head of the music department is >>telling me that the plate strut needs to come out of one of the concert >>pianos, so the strings can be "strummed" for a student performance. >> This looks like some peril, and a lot of retuning. I do know that one of >>these bars will not go back in unless the tension is dropped a WHOLE lot. >>Anybody got any info that will help me convince them it would be cheaper to >>move one of our B's in, instead of destabilizing the concert pianos? >>Regards, >>Ed Foote RPT > >-- >Charles Ball, RPT >School of Music >University of Texas at Austin >ckball@mail.utexas.edu >
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