Pronunciation of KNABE?

Barbara Richmond piano57@flash.net
Thu, 15 Jan 2004 13:10:04 -0600


Hey John,

Well, I've never heard anything but K'NAB-EE, but then I'm a good
mid-western girl--with a minor in German.  However, my John (hey ,somebody
had to marry him!), director of the library, came home for lunch and I asked
him.  Here he is:

(This is John Richmond, B.A., M.S., M.Div., Hisself, writing....)  I started
listening to the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts on Sat. afternoons circa
1965, and the K'NAH-BAY was the official piano of the Met.  Now, that's not
quite a "bay," as in a reeeeaaaalll long "a" sound...but somewhere between a
short "e" and a long "a"...kinda the way a Spaniard might say, "Ole!" (with,
of course the accent mark on the "e").  Hmmmm...maybe the "eh" effect,
leaning towards a longish "a"....  And the emphasis was on the first
syllable of K'NAH-BAY.  Anyway, the Knabe was prominently featured in
intermission features, like the Met. Opera quiz.  Edward Downs--I think he
did the quizzes--would say, "Seated at the K'NAH-BAY is Miss Lionella
Pfluetsnute, who will play the first four bars of 'Der Vogelfaenger bin ich
ja' for us.  Miss Pfluetsnute, please...."  Knabe, BTW, was still the
official Met piano through my college years (1970-1974), but was dropped
sometime after that.


So there you have it, what ever it is, as only he can tell it.

Barbara Richmond, RPT
who just tuned her Schteinvey this morning
Somewhere near Peoria, IL

PS  Don't fall that Ms. Pfluetsnute stuff!  He's got our son believing there
really is a Thusnelda Weltschmertz.



----- Original Message -----
From: "John Minor" <jminor@uiuc.edu>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2004 9:14 AM
Subject: Pronunciation of KNABE?


> We say KUH-NAH-BEE, but I've heard the German pronuciation as KUH-NAH-BUH.
> What does everyone here say?
>
> John Minor
> University of Illinois
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>



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