bars.

[Horace Greeley]

Hi, Charles & Ed,

At 01:08 PM 2/1/2001 -0600, you wrote:

>The first time I found that one of our students had removed a strut 
>(diagonal bar) from a D I flew into an apoplectic rage.  Much to my 
>surprise, however, it just slipped back in.  Since then, I have routinely 
>removed this bar for damper work, etc. on several D's without the least 
>resistance or consequence.

DItto - my back loves me ever so much better.  But I seldom let anyone see 
me remove the strut.

>My understanding is that the bar is not there to bear compressive tension 
>from the strings, but to support the plate at a weak point when the piano 
>is on its side, being moved.  It was described to me as a design 
>enhancement to prevent plate fracturing during moving, especially if the 
>piano is dropped on the spine side.  Otherwise, in my experience, it would 
>appear to be a useless appendage.

I was told something similar, but that the strut being screwed on had to do 
with the difficulty of casting it into place (when the designs were done, 
decades ago).  The moving part certainly makes sense, as does the added 
stability which (I think) it adds to the bass.  At the same time, as noted 
in another response, they do have to be removed for some stuff, and do 
_seem_ to be superfluous under many, if not most, conditions.

>My approach here at UT has been to treat extended techniques and prepared 
>piano performance as a valid and legitimate endeavor, and to support it by 
>helping to train the students and faculty in "safe" techniques.  I like to 
>say that it is more important to "prepare" the pianist, than the 
>piano.  The dampers are the most vulnerable system, especially when there 
>is strumming in the heat of a performance. Make sure that the performer is 
>careful to avoid that area.

Sometimes it is bad that this list is not digested somewhere.  Some time 
ago, did we not talk about policies for prepared pianos and stuff?  Either 
here or pianotech, for sure.  Anyway, as technicians responsible for 
keeping Mozart and Haydn performers happy (not to mention folks like Angela 
Hewitt), we have a tremendous, and often misunderstood, commitment to 
keeping traditional pianos traditional (at least as to mechanical, if not 
temperament issues).  We also need to keep in our own minds the legitimate 
needs of those who are serious composers and performers of contemporary, or 
non-traditional use.  It is a fine line.  I've always tried to maintain one 
instrument for such use...not always easy, but it does tend to limit damages.

>BTW, Ed, a piano faculty member is performing the Goldberg Variations this 
>weekend on harpsichord and piano, with the hps tuned unequally. I will 
>give a brief talk about the differences.  I chose to use the Kirnberger 
>temperament, because (1) he was a student of Bach, (2) it has just 
>intervals in the basic key of the piece, (3) it has big color contrasts, 
>(4) the name sounds somewhat like a sandwich.

This sounds like fun.  Please let us know how it goes.  FYI, I would think 
that, perhaps something like Endive would be better than Romaine or Butter 
Leaf, particularly with a nice, crusty rustic wheat and some coarsely 
ground mustard.

Cheers!

Horace