[CAUT] Steinway Style II Grand

[Fred Sturm]

On 2/15/05 10:46 PM, "Chris Solliday" <solliday@ptd.net> wrote:

> I agree with all this rationale except the difference between repros and
> "original." "Original" is a challenge not looked forward to by the players
> of the era that historical performance tries to recreate. I'm sure players
> of that time were looking for the best instruments available, not some old
> stressed out piece of wood surrounded by crusty buckskin and motheaten felt,
> and dare I leave out the metal. My opinion, of course humble, is that this
> so called "original instrument" concept just creates a mythical market for
> the owners of some horrendous old dogs and unfortunately it obscures and
> reduces the opportunities to hear the rather charming performance available
> on reproductions, and not to mention reduces this important market. My hat
> is off to builders of repros, fortepianos, harpsichords and clavichords and
> the performers who have the integrity and wisdom to perform/recreate
> historical music on instruments of the same relative age as when the music
> was orginally performed. "the one armed piano tuner" Chris Solliday
Hi Chris,
    Good points. I agree a good repro beats a bad original any day. The
original which is truly unique and important should be conserved (meaning
keep all original parts), no question, and if it can be made to play as
well, that's nice. But for music making, one needs fresher
wood/felt/leather, etc.
    The only addition I would make is that of an intermediate category:
restoration. Not remanufacture/redesign, but restoration to like new or
close to new condition, maintaining all design elements and materials as
closely as possible. This to apply to mid 18th century to Victorian era
pianos like Bill Shull has mentioned, pianos of real interest like old
Erards and Steinways. If the board is immaculate, keep it. If it's toast,
replace it, but with original dimensions, grain orientation, ribbing design.
Keep the original action parts: refelt, releather, re-spring, whatever is
necessary to make it play like new. But maintain the geometry. New hammers
made to match original weights and density of felt to the extent possible.
Restring with appropriate materials (eg, Pure Sound).
    These are the pianos of several major composers, from Brahms to Debussy
to Granados. Significantly different from modern, and of significant
interest. Well, of interest to oddballs like me and Bill, anyway. And ain't
nobody ever going to make repros of these, as Bill pointed out. But
restoration is quite possible, and can potentially produce the same result:
a like new instrument of hysterical accuracy (spelling intentional, in
deference to that one-armed man).
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico