[CAUT] Steinway Style II Grand

[Fred Sturm]

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    A couple things. There are mebbe a few musicians who get into the
=B3historical accuracy=B2 thing because they want to find a niche, and aren=B9t
all that good. But there are also really fine, utterly superb, musicians
involved in the historical accuracy movement. Rachel Podger comes to mind.
Plays a real baroque violin in baroque style like the music is coming
directly from a very sensitive soul through her fingers. There=B9s a lot of
historical accuracy stuff out there that is boring, boring, boring, but tha=
t
doesn=B9t mean the movement itself is out in left field. Only some of it is
<g>. Clearly, just playing on historic instruments or copies thereof, with
good intentions, doesn=B9t necessarily lead to fine music making, but it can.
    The other point I=B9d like to make is that there is a definite connection
of musician to instrument which evokes certain responses from the musician.
I have had several real =B3revelation=B2 type experiences playing on various
historic instruments: so this passage really does work! Wow, a Viennese
piano plays like silk, and a Broadwood like a truck, just like those old
guys used to say and write! In other words, having the opportunity to play
on a historical instrument in close top original condition can be an
extremely valuable educational experience.
    I=B9d love to have the opportunity to play on an 1870 Steinway with light
hammers and high ratio. I wouldn=B9t be in the least interested in playing on=
e
that had been retrofit with a modern action.
    Another couple pennies in the pot. And I=B9ll add my support to the idea
of restoring the piano originally in question rather than remanufacturing
it. I=B9d also caution taking whatever advice you get from Steinway on the
matter with a heaping teaspoon of salt. Too many conflicts of interest, and
lack of restoration experience.

Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico


On 2/15/05 1:16 PM, "Ed Sutton" <ed440@mindspring.com> wrote:

> It's a fair guess that Chris is correct that Liszt would want the fastest=
,
> loudest piano available, at least if he were playing his virtuoso show pi=
eces.
> (And maybe not for other music.)
> On the other hand, Chopin, Schumann and Brahms would be harder to predict=
.  We
> know that Chopin made peculiar selections of pianos, if loud and fast are=
 the
> sole criteria.  Anyone who has played a Viennese action piano, early or l=
ate,
> knows that these instruments articulate the classical and romantic repert=
oire
> in a way that can't be done on a modern action.
> I, for one, don't wish to spend all my travels on I-95.
> ES



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