Trivia

[Bdshull@AOL.COM]

Hi, Tom,

I differ.  The presence of the sostenuto pedal is a pianistic tool which 
advanced pianists assume is there, and is at their disposal.  Learning 
pianists have opportunity to discover it.  It is fully functional (that is, 
it can be properly manipulated while playing).  Even the 19th century 
Steinway verticals I have serviced (head hitting hard against wall) were 
functional. 

Mute rails don't need to be on a pedal, and are not manipulated when played.  
They are on a pedal because having a third pedal makes marketing sense, and 
the execution works mechanically.  An argument could be made against the 
pedal connection, since it is not really a functional thing;  either people 
are sleeping or not, and the entire practice session is with the thing, or 
not.

The Steinway grand sostenuto has more capacity for adjustment with the action 
in the piano than other systems I know of.

The modern vertical sostenuto execution (Yamaha, Steinway) is not complex, 
and avoids the pitfalls of the old Steinways.  Some older systems were pretty 
simple, too.

Sorry I haven't come up with my own "dumb idea" suggestions for you to shoot 
down yet....

Bill Shull

In a message dated 10/11/01 10:38:38 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
tsheehan@nyc.rr.com writes:

<< Although interesting as a technical engineering concept, it's really more 
of
 a marketing curiosity than something that's genuinely useful. (Much the same
 could be said of the sostenuto on grands also! - there's so little music
 written that requires its use). That middle pedal on uprights is much better
 served by being the controller for a well-designed felt muting rail, such as
 in the Yamaha U1.
 
 Not necessarily "bad/dumb". But when out of regulation, can be a real
 time-sink, adding additional expense to a customer's bill for something that
 has such limited use.
  >>