Hi Robert,
Good post. Good advice. Here at BYU our harpsichord guru is top notch. ( but he still prefers I do the maintenance) However, that's NOT the case at a couple other schools where I occasionally help. The faculty bought very substandard instruments and were bought (my opinion) just so they could say they have a harpsichord, clavichord, etc. and occasionally use it as a novelty. Shame. This is not what we should be about. This is the opposite of your advice, and they pay for it with their less than stellar performances, lack of upkeep, and in time each instrument is quietly relegated to some corner of a storage closet. Your advice is priceless, yet unheeded in these three universities near to me. Realistically, they didn't have the resources and, IMO, should NOT have purchased anything.
Jim
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Robert Murphy
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 2:29 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT Fortepiano for University
Hi Ed, Jim, Ed & Dave,
Good points all the way around. I think you would be wise to ask a few more questions to the faculty and administration on this one before jumping into something you wish had never come to the school.
1. Who is the faculty member willing to basically be the keeper of the instrument and advocate to the administration for its upkeep, and training of the piano tech staff to keep it in good order? Oftentimes the instrument will be kept in this professor's studio as they are the one requesting its acquisition for their performance/teaching use in the first place. This professor will also make sure that - like a harpsichord - the room's relative humidity is kept stable and that performances it is used for are scheduled through her/him with you being alerted to rehearsals and performances well in advance.
2. Don't go cheap on an instrument if this is the only one in your collection - i.e. are they willing to pay $30-$40+K for an instrument? There will be as many skeptics on its purchase (and likely more) than advocate. So, this has to be the best representative of a truly Period instrument to justify the purchase and maintenance. Wrapping your brain around Mozart being played on something oftentimes viewed as a "toy" will only will only be given the time of day if the action regulation and tuning are flawless. Otherwise, a poor first-impression will be broadcast among the faculty and students that those dusty old boxes are better heard (or not!) in museums rather than modern performance venues. As Dave pointed out - the best fortepianos will come with a builder behind it or reference to someone who regularly works on these type of instruments in performance and recording situations who will not leave you hung out to dry! I would put Paul McNulty (Prague), Rod Regier (Freeport, ME), Tom & Barbara Wolf (Washington, D.C.), and Chris Maene (Belgium) as the top fortepiano builders in the world, at present.
3. Attach a performer to the purchase who will give a master class and concert for its debut/dedication. Malcolm Bilson, f'pianist at Cornell U., Robert Levin, f'pianist and musicologist at Harvard U., David Breitman, f'pianist and director of performance practice at Oberlin Conservatory, or Penny Crawford, f'pianist at U. of Michigan would all be good choices. These are all tenured piano faculty well-respected in their piano departments and used to promoting the instrument in an educational setting.
4. Are they willing to have you properly trained to care for this instrument? Learning how to work on a Viennese action is not rocket science, but there are not the correlations to say, an English-action Broadwood that you may be able to figure out on your own. And yes, I would recommend a Viennese-action replica. Whether you get a 5-octave Mozart f'piano or a 6 to 6 1/2-octave Schubert period instrument (i.e. Graf-copy) would be a decision that you want the piano faculty to make, as well.
Hope this helps. Feel free to call me or e-mail me off-line if I can help you with any other particulars.
Best,
Robert
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert A. Murphy
Piano Technician & Curator of Fortepianos
Oberlin Conservatory of Music
cell: 517.285.3269
shop: 440.775.8275
On Aug 31, 2010, at 12:57 PM, caut-request at ptg.org<mailto:caut-request at ptg.org> wrote:
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: Fortepiano for University (Ed Sutton)
2. Re: Fortepiano for University (Jim Busby)
3. Re: piano purchases (G Cousins)
4. dowd harpsichord parts? (John Minor)
5. Re: Fortepiano for University (David Doremus)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:48:52 -0400
From: "Ed Sutton" <ed440 at mindspring.com>
To: <caut at ptg.org>
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Fortepiano for University
Message-ID: <B65C61E36BDF44D18A04DAE6EDF81876 at EdPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
My impression is that the finest harpsichords and fortepianos need a personal owner/protector, who uses them regularly, understands what the instrument is meant to do, and makes sure regulation is up-to-date.
(I can tell a very sad story of a fine, historic replica French double which was ruined by institutional treatment. A Zuckerbox and Challis harpsichords were tough enough to hang in there in the situation.)
A less-than-ultimate instrument may make a better stable horse, capable of surviving without a personal advocate.
Perhaps someone with more experience than me can comment on this relative to fortepianos. It seems to me pointless to buy a fine and delicate instrument if no one is there to understand and use it fully.
Ed Sutton
_______________
On Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 11:57 AM, Ed Foote <a440a at aol.com> wrote:
Greetings,
The school is considering acquiring a new fortepiano or a pianoforte. The first question is which era, as they are not homogenized like pianos. Another question is style of action, and yet another question is durability, I don't want to get a prima donna instrument that gets weird every time it is moved.
I also don't want to re-invent the wheel, so was hoping that other Cauts that deal with the 18th century in an academic environment would offer a suggestion or two.
Thanks,
Ed Foote RPT
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:46:31 -0600
From: Jim Busby <jim_busby at byu.edu>
To: Ed Sutton <ed440 at mindspring.com>, "caut at ptg.org" <caut at ptg.org>
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Fortepiano for University
Message-ID:
<739660BE4D87C748B380D5E57CD3A60BBF58267DEF at harrow.exch.ad.byu.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Ed,
I agree, and we have such a person here at BYU. Nobody plays our 4 harpsichords and various "historical" instruments w/o his OK. This makes it easier on us as piano techs. No one can randomly request an instrument without his signature. We maintain them, however, and he keeps us apprised of use and needs. Before his help it was a "will-nilly-whomever-wanted-something-on-a-whim" situation.
My only experience with a fortepiano was a recording session with some a duo from Boston. I was on-call and about every 15-30 minutes they would have me touch-up notes. The fellow tunes, but wanted me to tune it because he said tuning it took him away from the mood, or something like that, and he didn't want to deal with it. I was there 8 hours, until very late. So... after this experience I REALLY think you have a great point; the instrument should have a benefactor of sorts.
Jim Busby
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Ed Sutton
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 7:49 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Fortepiano for University
My impression is that the finest harpsichords and fortepianos need a personal owner/protector, who uses them regularly, understands what the instrument is meant to do, and makes sure regulation is up-to-date.
(I can tell a very sad story of a fine, historic replica French double which was ruined by institutional treatment. A Zuckerbox and Challis harpsichords were tough enough to hang in there in the situation.)
A less-than-ultimate instrument may make a better stable horse, capable of surviving without a personal advocate.
Perhaps someone with more experience than me can comment on this relative to fortepianos. It seems to me pointless to buy a fine and delicate instrument if no one is there to understand and use it fully.
Ed Sutton
_______________
On Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 11:57 AM, Ed Foote <a440a at aol.com<mailto:a440a at aol.com>> wrote:
Greetings,
The school is considering acquiring a new fortepiano or a pianoforte. The first question is which era, as they are not homogenized like pianos. Another question is style of action, and yet another question is durability, I don't want to get a prima donna instrument that gets weird every time it is moved.
I also don't want to re-invent the wheel, so was hoping that other Cauts that deal with the 18th century in an academic environment would offer a suggestion or two.
Thanks,
Ed Foote RPT
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
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Message: 3
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:45:37 -0400
From: G Cousins <cousins_gerry at msn.com>
To: CAUT <caut at ptg.org>
Subject: Re: [CAUT] piano purchases
Message-ID: <COL124-W25FE73727301A5A2E18A029F8A0 at phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
My favorite quote:
It's a very sobering feeling to be up in space and realize that one's safety factor was determined by the lowest bidder on a government contract.
Alan Shepard
Gerry C
To: caut at ptg.org
From: rwest1 at unl.edu
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:28:06 -0500
Subject: [CAUT] piano purchases
Jim Busby's comment about buying in quantity to get a good price made
me wonder why colleges/universities don't work together to get the
same kind of deals that Jim is talking about. Why don't the big
conferences (Big 12, Big 10, SEC, etc) agree to share purchasing of
common items the conferences all need? It would be a win-win
situation. Schools would get a discount and manufacturers would sell
pianos. Maybe such program already exist but not directed toward
schools of music.
Richard West
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Message: 4
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:55:37 -0500
From: John Minor <jminor at illinois.edu>
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: [CAUT] dowd harpsichord parts?
Message-ID: <4C7D17E9.1040708 at illinois.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Anyone know a source for replacement jack tongues for a Dowd harpsichord?
John Minor
University of Illinois
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:47:01 -0500
From: David Doremus <algiers_piano at bellsouth.net>
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Fortepiano for University
Message-ID: <4C7D3205.2030508 at bellsouth.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
I semi agree, if you have someone nearby or on staff who has the
knowledge and willingness to do it, they can be kept in very good
condition now matter how finicky. Usually makers will be happy to
provide training, advice, parts and even regular visits if necessary.
It's to their benefit as well to have the instruments present themselves
as best they can. It is a big commitment from the institution and needs
to be there before the decision is made to buy.
--Dave
Tulane
New Orleans
On 8/31/10 9:46 AM, Jim Busby wrote:
Ed,
I agree, and we have such a person here at BYU. Nobody plays our 4
harpsichords and various ?historical? instruments w/o his OK. This
makes it easier on us as piano techs. No one can randomly request an
instrument without his signature. We maintain them, however, and he
keeps us apprised of use and needs. Before his help it was a
?will-nilly-whomever-wanted-something-on-a-whim? situation.
My only experience with a fortepiano was a recording session with some
a duo from Boston. I was on-call and about every 15-30 minutes they
would have me touch-up notes. The fellow tunes, but wanted me to tune
it because he said tuning it took him away from the mood, or something
like that, and he didn?t want to deal with it. I was there 8 hours,
until very late. So? after this experience I REALLY think you have a
great point; the instrument should have a benefactor of sorts.
Jim Busby
*From:* caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] *On Behalf
Of *Ed Sutton
*Sent:* Tuesday, August 31, 2010 7:49 AM
*To:* caut at ptg.org
*Subject:* Re: [CAUT] Fortepiano for University
My impression is that the finest harpsichords and fortepianos need a
personal owner/protector, who uses them regularly, understands what
the instrument is meant to do, and makes sure regulation is up-to-date.
(I can tell a very sad story of a fine, historic replica French double
which was ruined by institutional treatment. A Zuckerbox and Challis
harpsichords were tough enough to hang in there in the situation.)
A less-than-ultimate instrument may make a better stable horse,
capable of surviving without a personal advocate.
Perhaps someone with more experience than me can comment on this
relative to fortepianos. It seems to me pointless to buy a fine and
delicate instrument if no one is there to understand and use it fully.
Ed Sutton
_______________
On Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 11:57 AM, Ed Foote <a440a at aol.com
<mailto:a440a at aol.com>> wrote:
Greetings,
The school is considering acquiring a new fortepiano or a
pianoforte. The first question is which era, as they are
not homogenized like pianos. Another question is style of
action, and yet another question is durability, I don't
want to get a prima donna instrument that gets weird every
time it is moved.
I also don't want to re-invent the wheel, so was hoping
that other Cauts that deal with the 18th century in an
academic environment would offer a suggestion or two.
Thanks,
Ed Foote RPT
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
--
------------------------------
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End of CAUT Digest, Vol 22, Issue 123
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