Sustain in European pianos

[Delwin D Fandrich]

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  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Tim Coates=20
  To: oleg-i@wanadoo.fr ; CAUT=20
  Sent: December 06, 2002 6:18 PM
  Subject: Re: soundboard springs



  Perhaps you would like to revisit Wapin.  Europe seems to be looking =
for something like Wapin.  There have been European rebuilders inquiring =
about Wapin. I don't have much experience with European pianos, but I =
understand they have a very short sustain.

I've heard this sort of comment before and, while it doesn't really =
correspond with my experience, I've not really dwelt on it much. When I =
read it this morning, however, I have to consider it in the light my =
experience of just last Thursday on which date I was in a piano store =
featuring several European pianos. Specifically the Bluthner and August =
Forster. All of the instruments on display by these two makers had, =
without exception, sustain times (including through the notorious killer =
octave region) that put to shame what we've become accustomed to with =
those instruments built by the one particular U.S. maker. You know -- =
the one by which all others are to be compared.

And my experience with the European-built instruments of that same make =
has been that the sustain of those instruments is certainly no worse =
than it is in the US built instruments. If anything the European-built =
instruments have longer and more consistent sustain times than do most =
of their US counterparts.

So, my question (mostly, but not limited) to our European list members =
is -- where has that reputation come from? Was this something that was =
true in the past but is no longer? Is it still true with some =
instruments but not with others? Has something changed recently in the =
overall design and construction of some specific instrument makers which =
has changed things? Or is this reputation generally unwarranted -- more =
US propaganda we can attribute to the =
anti-and-to-hell-with-the-rest-of-the-world leanings of our current =
administration? In other words, what's up, folks?

Del


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