[CAUT] Bowing piano strings?

[Fred Sturm]

Hi Alan,
    Thanks for the specifics. They are in line with what I have seen and
heard about. We had a bowed piano ensemble come through as a guest
performance last year, that unfortunately my schedule didn¹t allow me to
attend. I heard great things about them, and the recording of their
performance was remarkable. Ten or more people around the piano, picking up
their various ³bows², kind of like a handbell choir, as I understand, damper
pedal either wedged down or operated by a designated person. The name Scott
is vaguely  ringing a bell, but I have forgotten.
    Yes, they used a concert D, lid removed. Needed a full size instrument
to fit everyone around it. No, there were absolutely no negative after
effects. And ditto about wound strings.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico


On 11/13/07 5:43 AM, "reggaepass at aol.com" <reggaepass at aol.com> wrote:

>  Zeno,
> 
> For plain wire, we use bows made by fishing line coursed back and forth
> between two large paper clips. taped at each end for tidy-ness (a word?).  And
> rosin.  For wound strings, we use caution tape ("Police line-do not cross",
> etc.).  
> 
> And I want to second the notion that it takes very little by way of
> contamination to ruin a wound string.
> 
> Hope that helps..let us know what you come up with.
> 
> Alan Eder
> 
> P. S. Is the composer in question Stephen Scott?
> 
> ae
>  
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Zeno Wood <zeno.wood at gmail.com>
> To: College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>
> Sent: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 8:04 pm
> Subject: [CAUT] Bowing piano strings?
> 
> Anyone have any thoughts on bowing piano strings?  It's for the
> 
> contemporary music ensemble, can't remember the composer right now.
> 
> The piano strings would be sounded with string/horse hair held in both
> 
> hands and shoe-shined, kinda like dental floss.  The performers are
> 
> trying to figure out what material to use for this.  I think that
> 
> rosin is probably not too good for bass strings, what do you think?
> 
> Is there some kind of material that would have the necessary "grab" to
> 
> put the string into motion without rosin?
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Zeno Wood
> 
> Brooklyn College
> 
> 
> Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail
> <http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/mailtour/aol/en-us/index.htm?ncid=AOL
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