Hi Dave... I see you are off on a confrontational road again. I simply reacted to Dels comments which seemed to define a whole group of pianists as not having any use for pianisimo level of play. What is or isnt pianisimo level is clearly (in the context of the discussion) in the realm of the subjective. It would be just as useless for some pianist to accuse the very low levels of soft play as being too soft. Since reacting to what appeared to me as a sweeping generalization was the thrust of my post... in favour of being aware of the subjective nature of these issues... I really dont see where on earth you are comming from. I'm gonna toss this one back at you and ask for a little less over defensivness. Your closing paragraph accuses me of exactly that which I reacted against.... so obviously you missed my point entirely. I'll let you have the last word on the matter if you wish... as I'm not really into this mode of discussion at all. Cheers RicB I think you need to get over ascribing statements about universal truths to those who claim a preference simply because they may not agree with your own. Choosing a piano to build or play, or a tonal concept to develop is just about that: choice. There are many choices out there (most of them on the louder, more percussive, bigger bangier side) and trying to fit every piano into a single box or compare every piano on the same terms is simply a mistake. High tension and low tension scales demand different soundboard performance, require different hammers and produce different types of tone. Unless you've heard a piano such as the one below and can determine for yourself whether a soft hammer is capable of producing both power and brilliance as well as the ability to play down to a whisper or produce a better timbral balance on a particular design, I would be reluctant to make claims about what can or can't be done based on your belief rather than experience or knowledge. That you have a personal philosophy about tone is certainly within your right. And if you prefer, you can try and fit every piano you come across into that little box whether the piano belongs there or not. But I would be cautious about allowing philosophy to become ideology and with it the need to provide all the answers without first understanding the questions. David Love davidlovepianos at comcast.net www.davidlovepianos.com
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