somewhat OT -- Steinway trivia

[Dave Nereson]

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>>From: Phillip Ford=20

>>To: pianotech@ptg.org=20

>>Sent: Friday, June 06, 2003 12:52 PM

>>Subject: Re: OT Olde Aeroplanes



>Didn't the Steinway folks make gliders during WWII?
>>Conrad Hoffsommer - Music Technician

>>Uh, oh.  Another black mark against Steinway.  They're the ones that =
used up all of our trees.

>>Phil F
_______________________________________________
>>pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives





    Yes, they made the CG-4A gliders, while the factory in Hamburg made =
wooden airplane decoys, bunk beds, and rifle stock (for the Nazis).  The =
New York factory, besides gliders, also briefly produced a music and =
voice-paging product for factories, similar to Muzak, called the =
"Operadic Plant Broadcaster".  They also made wooden caskets for a =
while, which was a huge money-loser.

   Also during the war they made the Steinway Victory model upright, or =
the ODGI (Olive Drab Government Issue) field piano, "a 40-inch upright =
that sat flat on the floor, with no legs, looking like a box with a =
shelf sticking out. ... This 500-pound piano was transported in its own =
special olive-green packing case, with handles that made it easy for =
four soldiers to carry.  The case included a set of tuning tools, a book =
of instructions, sheet music (ranging from Protestant hymns to advanced =
boogie-woogie), and some spare parts."

           Above info. and quote from "Steinway & Sons", by Richard K. =
Lieberman, Yale University Press, 1995=20

I found this an excellent book, very informative; includes the =
historical "scandals" --  an entertaining read.

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    (Has anyone ever seen the book of instructions for the "army piano"? =
 I imagine the tuning procedure described is probably amusing)

    --David Nereson, RPT

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