[CAUT] Steinway Style II Grand

[Greg Granoff]

I believe Conrad makes an important point here.  This isn't really about
what vintage of piano is an "improvement" over which other vintage.  We have
a Bach scholar here who is a harpsichordist/fortepianist who was one of the
people most influential in the "period performance" movement in San
Francisco when it began in the 60's.  She owns a modern piano and enjoys it
as much as the next person.  However, she is always quick to point out that
period instruments, whether original or copies, playing and sounding as they
would have when new (we hope) are like fascinating time machines.  As she
puts it, they "send us messages" directly from the past that tell us
important things about the music written for them, as well as the
experiences and feelings and judgements of the listeners and performers of
the day as they moved about in their particular sonic world.  Modern
pianists sometimes wonder why Beethoven often wrote such close chord
voicings  in the bass cleff.  They sound like mud on a modern grand, but are
perfectly understandable on a Viennese fortepiano of the day.  Many of the
bow gestures inherent in period style baroque string playing that are so
necessary to the vividness and emotion of that sound did not become apparent
till people began using the lighter, lower tension Baroque bows, and so on.
For this reason, I myself, and many others I'm sure would feel cheated out
of a very dynamic sense of our own cultural past if no one ever performed on
period instruments and all obsolete instruments were updated.

Just my 2 cents as well.

Greg

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Conrad Hoffsommer" <hoffsoco@luther.edu>
To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2005 11:55 AM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Steinway Style II Grand


> At 13:05 2/15/2005, you wrote:
> >Wouldn't it be great to see Chris argue his point with Malcolm Bilson.
> >Might turn into a slug fest! :-) Having lived here in Ithaca (the land of
> >historical performance practice) for some time, I find listening to music
> >performed on historical instruments interesting at least for an academic
> >standpoint. And, occasionally it is a great musical experience. Cornell
> >has a couple of pianos from the mid 1800's that sound very good and when
> >played by a skilled pianist, can be very rewarding to hear. Just my
humble
> >opinion.
> >
> >Don
> >
> >
> >>  I may as well take this opportunity to come out of the closet and
> >> reveal my bias, actually a pet peave, just to be fair. In case anyone
> >> wasn't catching the drift, I have almost no use for historical
> >> instruments. I can't imagine any musician of the day, say Franz Liszt,
> >> looking for "the good old piano." Most often professional pianists,
> >> unless they are looking for novelty, or are overcome with this absurd
> >> nostalgia for "original instruments," look for the best new piano they
> >> can find. 'Cause the design is up to date and the parts are new and it
> >> plays like they expect. Everything else is ANOMALY. And unless your
> >> customer is of that ilk I'd stick to I-95. (I do make one notable
> >> exception and that is reproductions. They make for wonderful
> >> "Historical" concerts although I do think the whole concept is a bit
> >> hysterical). Of course Stephen, be attentive to what Bill Shull and
> >> others are warning of cause this isn't I-95, but get as close as you
can
> >> and a "NORMAL" customer will be happy. And BTW, sorry Bill, we're full
> >> at MARC and printed for this year, but I have forwarded your shameless
> >> self invitation to Steve and Paul and will put in a good word for you.
> >>Best to All,
> >>  Chris Solliday
>
>
> I really like Ansel Adams' black and white photography.
> Ansel Adams had access to color film.
>
> I like Mozart on the fortepiano.
> I have access to 9' grand pianos.
>
> Mozart didn't have the sound of a 9' concert grand in mind when he was
> composing.
> He did have access to fortepiani.
>
> As well as pianists can interpret Mozart on a 9', they can NEVER duplicate
> what Mozart had in mind.
>
> my biased 2¢
>
> Conrad
> (just finished tuning two harpsichords...)
>
>
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