I heard some of the rehearsals of concerti, today, in the Van Cliburn Competition. Brian, mentioned that there are at least three S&S performance pianos. I particularly liked Di Wu's choice of instrument which has great power, balance, clarity without being harsh at all dynamic levels, and dynamic range. Could anyone tell me which of the S&S pianos it is? Di Wu played Rachmaninoff's 3rd concerto of which I never tire, and I thought it was one of the most expressive and cogent performances I've heard; Byron Janis's recording of it from the 60's is my benchmark. David Cuffel Anchorage, AK From: pianotech-request at ptg.org Subject: pianotech Digest, Vol 8, Issue 42 To: pianotech at ptg.org Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2009 18:31:10 -0600 Send pianotech mailing list submissions to pianotech at ptg.org To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://ptg.org/mailman/listinfo/pianotech or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to pianotech-request at ptg.org You can reach the person managing the list at pianotech-owner at ptg.org When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of pianotech digest..." --Forwarded Message Attachment-- From: toddpianoworks at att.net To: pianotech at ptg.org Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2009 16:30:54 -0700 Subject: [pianotech] (no subject) I went to pitch raise/tune a new clients piano today. The piano is a Wurlitzer Console. Almost the entire treble section was sluggish upon return of each key. So I began my investigative process. I held the key with one hand and moved the hammer with the other. It returned just fine. I then held the key and moved the backcheck, and it returned fine. I thought maybe tight balance rail bushings. So I eased a sample key, but it did not good. I could not figure out what the problem was. Any help please? TODD PIANO WORKS Matthew Todd, Piano Technician (979) 248-9578 http://www.toddpianoworks.com --Forwarded Message Attachment-- From: tvaktvak at sbcglobal.net To: pianotech at ptg.org Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2009 16:57:33 -0700 Subject: [pianotech] puzzler and solution List We've all dropped mutes while tuning the treble of a vertical and had to retrieve them from below. I think I drop more than most of you, so I'm pretty good at finding them. At least, I've had lots of practice. OK, usually it's pretty simple. Take off the kneeboard and there it is, laying on the floor of the piano. On occasion, I have to go looking for them. I've found mutes between the plate and the soundboard, laying on the bass bridge between the strings and the soundboard, hanging from the end of a key, or action part...you name it, I've found it. Until today. Now, before I go on, don't tell me to tie a string or piece of yard around the end of the mute. I'm not gonna do it. I'd rather go hunting in the bottom of the piano than have to deal with a string hanging off the end of the mute constantly getting caught on hammer tails, or bridle wires, or whatever. This is my own personal hell; let me create it and live in it. Thanks, though. So I removed the kneeboard and propped it up against one of the legs of the piano. I looked EVERYWHERE for this mute and it was nowhere! It had simply vanished! And I spent a good ten minutes looking for the darn thing! Finally, I had to give up. So I picked up the kneeboard, and slid it back over in front of the piano and began to lift it to put it in place, and..,there it was! The mute was on the kneeboard! It was llaying on this little ledge created by a horizontal piece of metal that transversed the entire kneeboard. I've seen these on music desks (Chinese pianos) before, but never on a kneeboard. I'm not sure of the purpose of this piece added to the back of the kneeboard, but I suspect it is to give the piano more ballast when it is eventually used as an anchor. They are forward-thinking, these Chinese piano manufacturers. In the case of this particular piano, no better use could be made of it than to throw it overboard. At any rate, that's my puzzler and the solution, too. Hope you're all having a nice, relaxing summer, as I am. Tom Sivak Chicago --Forwarded Message Attachment-- From: kam544 at allegiance.tv To: pianotech at ptg.org Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2009 18:59:10 -0500 Subject: Re: [pianotech] sluggish (was no subject) On Jun 5, 2009, at 6:30 PM, Matthew Todd wrote: > I then held the key and moved the backcheck, and it returned fine. Matthew, I assume in this test you were attempting to eliminate the wippen flange as being the cause of the sluggishness. You may have done this and didn't say it in your post, but you also need to disconnect the bridle strap and hold the hammer assembly towards the strings as well as holding the key to feel sluggishness in the wippen flange when you lift it somewhat up and down. Aside from this test, most likely you have a key weight problem, especially if you do determine the flange centers and the key bushings are basically free. It is not an uncommon situation in some Wurlitzer vertical pianos. Also, nested bushings are very possible as the angle of the keyarm can be quite severe in some of these pianos in the treble section. Sincerely, Keith --Forwarded Message Attachment-- From: tvaktvak at sbcglobal.net To: pianotech at ptg.org Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2009 17:02:12 -0700 Subject: Re: [pianotech] (no subject) How about the front rail bushing? Or is the key coming into contact with the keyslip and binding on that? It's also possible that the weighting of the key is poor. Wurlitzers often have short keysticks that are not weighted on the back enough. You could try adding a lead weight to the top of the key to see if that solves the problem. When all else fails, putting a lead weight on the top of the key near the capstan usually solves the problem. Tom Sivak --- On Fri, 6/5/09, Matthew Todd <toddpianoworks at att.net> wrote: From: Matthew Todd <toddpianoworks at att.net> Subject: [pianotech] (no subject) To: pianotech at ptg.org Date: Friday, June 5, 2009, 11:30 PM I went to pitch raise/tune a new clients piano today. The piano is a Wurlitzer Console. Almost the entire treble section was sluggish upon return of each key. So I began my investigative process. I held the key with one hand and moved the hammer with the other. It returned just fine. I then held the key and moved the backcheck, and it returned fine. I thought maybe tight balance rail bushings. So I eased a sample key, but it did not good. I could not figure out what the problem was. Any help please? TODD PIANO WORKS Matthew Todd, Piano Technician (979) 248-9578 http://www.toddpianoworks.com --Forwarded Message Attachment-- From: joegarrett at earthlink.net To: pianotech at ptg.org Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2009 17:24:57 -0700 Subject: [pianotech] Re. Rendering Problem I would suggest none that everyone else is recommending. <G> My choice would be LPS-1. Available at Ace Hardware Stores. Also buy an artist's brush. Spray some LPS-1 in the cap and paint the friction areas, (especially the under felt). Be careful about sloping the stuff on the pins or pinblock! I'd also suggest vacuuming the felt first to get the crud & fuzz off. Otherwise the LPS-1 will make it a permanent part of the felt. I have been using this lubricant for 35 years and have had no problems with it being in pianos. It's characteristics are that it displaces water, (I've used it to salvage flood ravaged pianos strings/castors, etc.), it attacks rust and turns it into a white powder that does not continue to grow; it dissipates in a few weeks, so it doesn't collect fuzz, etc. , like many other lubricants, which include WD-40, (that should never be used in a piano, IMHO) and Pianotech's whatever. It was developed for use in the Electronic Industry and works as described. The company makes many types of Electronics lubricants and cleaners. All good, IMHO.<G> Regards, Joe Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon) Captain, Tool Police Squares R I --Forwarded Message Attachment-- From: pianocare2 at bigpond.com To: pianotech at ptg.org Date: Sat, 6 Jun 2009 10:21:20 +1000 Subject: Re: [pianotech] Half o t There are at least 3 performance pianos…. I’ll call them by…. S&S Satin New York, S&S Gloss New York, and S&S Hamburg. 3 different sounding instruments. One of the finalists wanted a different instrument for the concerto rehearsal and the conductor disagreed with his choice, so that was fun to watch! I saw Ron Conors from S&S NY only briefly, however I would assume there are others. I tuned for the Silver-Garburg piano duo (who are in town for 2 concerti performances) and during our conversation I mentioned that I was watching the Van Cliburn competition. They told me of the great technicians in Texas…. So whoever are the concert guys in Texas… keep up the good work.. The prizewinners are announced Sunday night Texas time…… that’s Monday late morning for me……… and Monday is a public holiday here! Brian From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of PJR Sent: Friday, 5 June 2009 9:36 PM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] Half o t Thanks for the website:(www.cliburn.tv). It is awesome! I turned the TV off and watched it full-screen for hours. I wonder how long it will be up. It says until June 7th; however it says the competition was held last spring, so they must be repeats. I wonder how the piano situation is organized. I saw them rolling off one piano and rolling out another. Do they have a fleet of pianos and piano-tuning elves in the back room? It must be tough on pianos there. Thanks again. Phil Ryan Miami Beach PianoCare2 wrote: William Thanks for these comments. I have been watching the competition through www.cliburn.tv . It is great to watch live performances, as well as prior rounds and also rehearsals for the finals. Nobuyuki is inspirational. I must add that Di Wu’s rehearsal of Beethoven 2nd concerto was fantastic…. Especially the singing tone in the second movement. Bozhanov is also up there. It is going to be a great final. Hopefully Nobuyuki will finish in the top three. Brian Wilson From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Piano Boutique Sent: Monday, 1 June 2009 9:41 AM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: [pianotech] Half o t List, I ran across this on one of my blind lists and thought you might find it interesting. William Blind pianists wows audiences at piano contest By ANGELA K. BROWN - 20 hours ago FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - With a dramatic bow of pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii's head, rich sounds of the piano, violins, cello and viola broke the concert hall silence as he and a string quartet played Schumann's Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 44. Just before the final note about 30 minutes later, the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition audience began clapping. People jumped to their feet, some whistling or yelling, "Bravo!" The standing ovation lasted nearly five minutes, so long that the 20-year-old from Japan returned to the stage twice to bow, grinning from ear to ear. The audience may have loved Friday's performance, but not everyone may have known its significance. Tsujii - who was born blind - had to figure out how to cue the other musicians. That was especially important with the Schumann piece, because all instruments must start playing simultaneously in the first movement. After his first rehearsal last week with the Takacs Quartet - the University of Colorado at Boulder-based group that performs with all 12 Cliburn semifinalists - Tsujii said he decided to nod his head as a cue. He had only played with a chamber music group once before, recently in Japan, after learning it would be required should he advance to the Cliburn semifinals. He previously performed with symphony orchestras in Paris, Berlin and Tokyo, and he followed the conductor's breathing, he said. But Tsujii said his blindness has not limited his playing opportunities and that he doesn't want to be known as the pianist who cannot see. "The most important objective as I'm performing is that the audience is going to be moved," Tsujii said through an interpreter. While playing on stage, first violin Edward Dusinberre occasionally glanced at Tsujii, and he and the other Takacs Quartet members also seemed to rely on musical cues. "We've had a great time working with him," Dusinberre said before Friday's performance. "There is of course a tremendous intensity to his listening to what we're doing, and his sense of timing is very natural, and so we're having a great time communicating with him." Cliburn officials initially said Tsujii was the competition's first blind competitor but recently were reminded about a blind pianist who didn't advance past the first round in 1973. Tsujii, nicknamed Nobu, already had fans in Japan but has gained even more since arriving at the Cliburn. So far, video of his preliminary round performance on the contest's Web site has about 11,400 views, the most of the 29 pianists who started in the competition. Van Cliburn, the legendary classical pianist and namesake of the prestigious contest held every four years, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that Tsujii's playing was "absolutely miraculous" and "truly divine" after hearing him last week. Tsujii was just a baby when he showed an interest in music, said his mother, Itsuko Tsujii of Tokyo. "When I would put on Chopin CDs, he reacted very actively, patting the sofa, and seemed to be enjoying it," she said through an interpreter. After he played the toy piano she got him at age 2, he started taking lessons at 4 and began learning to read music in Braille. But because that method took too much time, he listened to music recorded by his piano teacher and memorized it, which took a few days for some pieces or a week for longer, more complex ones, he said. "Although he is blind, you never know that when listening to his music," Rena Miyamoto, an assistant piano teacher at Ueno Gakuen University in Tokyo who recently began working with him, said through an interpreter. "His music is from his soul, his heart." The six Cliburn finalists will be announced Sunday night. All of them will receive managed concert tours worth $1 million, and each of the top three finishers will receive $20,000 and get to record a CD, among other prizes. The winners will be announced June 7. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ibozl-WK0Gob0c6-XJUQZ_NBKVNQD98GRI681 Kathy blackburn kblackbn at austin.rr.com ************************************************************ Join the Monthly Monetary Support program (MMS) and help improve tomorrow today in ACB. 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