I heard Johnny Carson read this story on the air (The Tonight Show) in the late 60's, which is about 30 years ago. This story has been kicking around a LONG time. You're right though,Don, it is supposed to be a true story >I don't think this is a recent story, but I believe it is a true one. I >read this account when I was in music school some 20 (gasp!) years ago. > >Don Mannino > >---------- >From: Warren Fisher[SMTP:fish@communique.net] >Sent: Sunday, June 29, 1997 2:08 PM >To: pianotech@ptg.org >Cc: ptg-l@ptg.org >Subject: The frustrated Pianist > >Not quite technical, but germaine anyway! > >Warren > > >A Humid Recital Stirs Bangkok > > Kenneth Langbell, The English Language Bangkok Post > > THE RECITAL, last evening in the chamber music room of the Erawan >Hotel by US Pianist Myron Kropp, the first >appearance of Mr. Kropp in Bangkok, can only be described by this >reviewer and those who witnessed Mr. Kropp's >performance asone of the most interesting experiences in a very long >time. A hush fell over the room as Mr. Kropp appeared >from the right of the stage, attired in black formal evening-wear with a >small white poppy in his lapel. With sparse, sandy hair, >a sallow complexion and a deceptively frail looking frame, the man who >has repopularized Johann Sebastian Bach approached >the Baldwin Concert Grand, bowed to the audience and placed himself upon >the stool. > It might be appropriate to insert at this juncture that many >pianists, including Mr. Kropp, prefer a bench, maintaining that >on a screw-type stool they sometimes findthemselves turning sideways >during a particularly expressive strain. There was a >slight delay, in fact, as Mr Kropp left the stage briefly, apparently in >search of a bench, but returned when informed that there >was none. > I HAVE mentioned on several other occasions, the Baldwin Concert >Grand, while basically a fine instrument, needs >constant attention, particularly in a climate such as Bangkok. This is >even more true when the instrument is as old as theone >provided in the chamber music room of the Erawan Hotel. In this humidity >the felts which separate the white keys from the >black tend to swell, causing an occasional key to stick,which apparently >was the case last evening with the D in the second >octave. During the "raging storm" section of the D-Minor Toccataand >Fugue, Mr. Kropp must be complimented for putting up >withthe awkward D. However, by the time the "storm" was past andhe had >gotten into the Prelude and Fugue in D Major, in >whichthe second octave D plays a major role, Mr. Kropp's patience was >wearing thin. > Some who attended the performance later questioned whether the >awkward key justified some of the language which >was heard coming from the stage during softer passages of the fugue. >However, one member of the audience, who had sent his >childrenout of the room by the midway point of the fugue, had a >validpoint when he commented over the music and >extemporaneous remarks of Mr. Kropp that the workman who had greased the >stool might have done better to use some of >the grease on the second octave D. Indeed, Mr. Kropp's stool had more >than enough grease and during one passage in which >the music and lyrics were both particularly violent, Mr. Kropp was >turned completely around. Whereas before his remarks >had been aimed largely at the piano and were therefore somewhat muted, >to his surprise and that of those in the chamber >music room he found himself addressing himself directly to the audience. > BUT SUCH THINGS do happen, and the person who began to laugh >deserves to be severely reprimanded for this >undignified behavior. Unfortunately, laughter is contagious, and by >thetime it had subsided and the audience had regained >itscomposure Mr. Kropp appeared somewhat shaken. Nevertheless, he >swiveled himself back into position facing the piano >and,leaving the D Major Fugue unfinished, commenced on the Fantasia and >Fugue in G Minor. > Why the concert grand piano's G key in the third octave chose that >particular time to begin sticking I hesitate to guess. >However, it is certainly safe to say that Mr. Kropp himself did nothing >to help matters when he began using hisfeet to kick the >lower portion of the piano instead of operating the pedals as is >generally done. Possibly it was this jarring or the un-Bach-like >hammering to which the sticking keyboard was being subjected. Something >caused the right front leg of the piano to buckle >slightly inward, leaving the entire instrument listing at approximately >a 35-degree angle from that which is normal. A gasp went >upfrom the audience, for if the piano had actually fallen several of Mr. >Kropp's toes if not both his feet, would surely have been >broken. > It was with a sigh of relief therefore, that the audience saw Mr. >Kropp slowly rise from his stool and leave the stage. A >few men in the back of the room began clapping and when Mr.Kropp >reappeared a moment later it seemed he was >responding to the ovation. Apparently, however, he had left to get a >red-handled fire ax which was hung back stage in case of >fire, for that was what was in his hand. > MY FIRST REACTION at seeing Mr. Kropp begin to chop at the left leg >of the grand piano was that he was >attempting to make it tilt at the same angle as the right leg and there >by correct the list. However, when the weakened legs >finally collapsed altogether with a great crash and Mr. Kropp continued >to chop, it became obvious to all that he had no >intention of going onwith the concert. The ushers, who had heard the >snapping of piano wires and splintering of sounding board >from the dining room, came rushing in and, with the help of the hotel >manager, two Indian watchmen and a passing police >corporal, finally succeeded in disarming Mr. Kropp and dragging him off >the stage. >-- >Home of the Humor List >Warren D. Fisher >fish@communique.net >Registered Piano Technician >Piano Technicians Guild >New Orleans Chapter 701 Paul E. Dempsey Piano Tuner/Technician Marshall University Huntington, WV dempsey@ramlink.net
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