[CAUT] Hamburg Steinway

[Joel A. Jones]

David,

Many years ago  i was part of a blind test.  The test
was between the American and the German Steinway.
For control we added another American that was
condemned to a rehearsal room.

Yes, the majority liked the third piano.  Most could
not pick out their 'favorite' piano.

This test was judged on  hearing only.  However,
I think it would be impossible to do a controlled
blind test on the action of a piano.  Maybe some-
one has been part of that testing.

Joel
Joel Jones, RPT
Madison, WI

On May 7, 2007, at 12:11 PM, Jim Busby wrote:

>
> David,
>  
> So right. In fact, we did a “blind” test with some pianists and it was 
> more or less 50% between the Hamburg and the NY Ds, but even after 
> that most chose the Hamburg over the NY. Go figure.
>  
> Jim
>  
>
> From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of 
> Porritt, David
> Sent: Monday, May 07, 2007 9:50 AM
> To: College  and University Technicians
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Hamburg Steinway
>  
> Fred:
>  
> Pianists are not idiots they have choices and they make them.  Many 
> pianists – unlike you – make the choice by a familiar name on the 
> fallboard rather than “making a connection” with the instrument.  I 
> guess that’s an easier way to choose.
>  
> dp
>  
> David M. Porritt
> dporritt at smu.edu
>
> From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of 
> Fred Sturm
> Sent: Monday, May 07, 2007 9:57 AM
> To: College  and University Technicians
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Hamburg Steinway
>  
> On May 7, 2007, at 5:56 AM, Porritt, David wrote:
>
>  
> In reality, with most pianists the instrument is chosen based on some
> perceived quality more often than real qualities unless there is some
> obvious disparity in the instruments.
>  
>             Yes, very true. And those perceived qualities are most 
> often those one senses at the keyboard, not necessarily those that 
> project to the hall. Personally (putting on my pianist's hat), I find 
> that I will "make a connection" with one instrument more than with 
> another, for whatever reason. It might be something to do with 
> regulation, feel of the keyboard, might be something to do with 
> voicing. In any case, it has to do with the experience of making 
> music, a very subjective feeling, not necessarily an objective notion. 
> If the piano is "inspiring" I am more likely to produce an "inspired" 
> performance. This may well be tightly connected with particular pieces 
> I will be playing, and with specific passages where I want some 
> effect. On which piano does it work best?
>             And, frankly, that sense of connection can be a very 
> flighty thing. A piano I love one day may well be "Hohum" tomorrow. A 
> piano I find strident one day is nice and brassy the next. A mellow, 
> silky piano becomes dull and lifeless. What has changed? I have.
>             Are pianists idiots? Yep, we are <G>.
> Regards,
> Fred Sturm
> University  of New Mexico
> fssturm at unm.edu
>  
>  
>  
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: text/enriched
Size: 7244 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/caut.php/attachments/20070507/51a0d336/attachment.bin