[CAUT] Prepared pianos

[Jim Busby]

Kent,

Thanks, and you're right about "common sense", or the lack thereof.

This policy is one we stole from some CAUT here. Alan? Don? I can't remember. I think Horace is right that we might want to revamp it.

You might be interested to know what precipitated this "problem" we have at BYU. I have been finding sticky notes, and have noticed "coloring" on the strings. I came to find out that this was crayon someone was using to mark nodal points. (Anyone know how to clean that off?) So.... I put notes in every piano with the sticky notes that said "Please don't touch the strings or dampers of this or any BYU piano. If you want to do some "inside the piano" compositions please let us help you."  The teacher took umbrage with that note and wrote a nasty letter to the Director about "how dare we..." etc. so, now the debate and fight begins.

In all, 5 pianos now have really ugly, stained bass strings. One, a nice Bosendorfer donation, was recently rebuilt and was beautiful. Looks like cat dew now.

But what do I know? I'm just a custodian to this teacher...

Jim

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Kent Swafford
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2011 11:27 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Prepared pianos

As your faculty person referenced, there are a number of inside-the-piano techniques that are not "prepared piano". I have taken to using the term "Inside-the-piano techniques" as the generic term that includes preparation. To me, your last sentence doesn't make sense because there are clearly potentially damaging inside-the-piano techniques that are not "prepared piano" as such.

Maybe stickers are unavoidable, but I prefer chalk where-ever possible.

You might specifically mention the Eder's video, "Non-Traditional Piano Use." Might even list a contact where it can be purchased.

This isn't a help to writing your policy, but I actually disagree that common sense will prevent damage. Performers are woefully unprepared to determine what will and will not damage pianos, and we might not even agree with them as to what constitutes damage. We might consider as damage something that they would never acknowledge as such. I would strongly recommend the video, and then state that good techniques won't cause damage and that pianists have the responsibility to learn those good techniques.

Kent Swafford


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