Kuerti query

[Avery Todd]

Conrad,

I have also worked with Kuerti before and will be again at our
International Piano Festival early next year. I agree with most
everything already said, with one elaboration. Besides the hammer
mating, he also doesn't like a 'strong' repetition spring because
he does a lot of leggierro (sp?) playing. This would go along
with Ted's comments below about the soft playing. Especially be
sure that there are no "bubbling" hammers on soft blows.

Also, I had been warned by another artist that he's been known to
cut the legs some if the bench isn't low enough. Whether true or
not, I made sure that the bench height suited him the first time
he was in the hall. :-)

After talking to him and making sure he wasn't going to do
something I couldn't easily put back, re: repetition & voicing, I
OK'd him doing a little. There were no problems.

As others have said, in spite of his knowledge (or maybe because of
it) :-) he's easy to work with and plays beautifully. Just do a
thorough job prepping, paying particular attention to what's been
mentioned, and I doubt you'll have any problems at all.

If you would, it would be interesting to me to have your comments
after he's been there, since I'll be working for him again soon.

Regards,
Avery

P.S. Since I mentioned the festival, besides Abbey Simon, I was told
that we'll also be having a Russian lady performing ALL the Liszt
Transcendental Etudes as her entire recital! I somehow have a feeling
I'll be working REALLY hard on tuning stability for that one! :-)

>Hi Conrad!
>
>I have known Anton Kuerti for twenty-four years. He can be exacting, but is
>not mean. He says that all he wants is that the piano meet manufacturors'
>specs. Seeing that manufacturors so often do not meet them themselves this
>is a taller order than might first appear. Specifically, he wants to be able
>to play pianissimos very evenly, which means close let-off, little drop and
>close checking. His big thing is fitting hammers to the strings, Unless he
>is pushed for time he will definitely check this note for note and  write
>out any which need correction. Do not be offended or take this as critisism;
>he fully understands that this is an ongoing need because of the nature of
>hammer wear from use of the shift pedal. He is very sensitive to the
>slightest flaw. I hope this does not sound scary. On the contrary, you will
>find it a good experience working with him. Since he wrote the Journal
>article he has gained in knowledge and abandoned many of the wilder ideas he
>had then.
>
>Best of luck, and say hello to him from me.
>
>Ted Sambell
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Conrad Hoffsommer" <hoffsoco@martin.luther.edu>
>To: <caut@ptg.org>
>Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2001 10:11 AM
>Subject: Kuerti query
>
>
>>  Folks,
>>
>>
>>  Anton Kuerti will be here this week.  What's he like to work with?
>>
>>
>>  Conrad Hoffsommer -
>>  I live in my own little world, but it's OK, they know me here.
>>  mailto:hoffsoco@luther.edu
>>
>>
>>