[CAUT] Upright tone openings

[Laurence Libin]

Early 19th-century uprights often have a fabric panel rather than wood front. They look imposing but can sound too loud at the keyboard because the soundboard is right in front of the player's face; also the mechanical noise was prominent. This wasn't desirable especially in a smallish parlor, and wood panel fronts were cheaper to make, more durable and easier to clean than fabric ones, hence (along with trends in furniture fashion) the change to wood enclosure as the market became more middle-class. 
Laurence

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mckeever, James I 
  To: caut at ptg.org 
  Cc: llwallace at fuse.net ; dean at FamilyPianoCo.com ; Alice Alviani 
  Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2011 11:35 AM
  Subject: Re: [CAUT] Upright tone openings


  Dale, thanks for the excellent idea.  When I visited UW-Madison about 25 years ago, they were still maintaining a number of almost ceiling-high uprights.  Don’t remember what they were.

   

  So why no tone openings?  So they are softer for practice?  If students putting objects through the openings is a problem, put a grill behind each opening.  Why build a very high-end upright then not allow the sound to get out?!  Lifting the top just isn’t enough!

   

  Jim McKeever

   

  From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Dale Erwin
  Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2011 9:42 AM
  To: caut at ptg.org
  Subject: Re: [CAUT] Upright tone openings

   

    Hi Jim
     I'm a big fan of 1890 to 1910 uprights.  The glory days of post Victorian uprights. So many had three piece panels with cut outs in the front backed with a nice linnen cloth. SO much sound could exit forward. I have a gorgeous Hardman upright given to me by Carl Meyer In San Jose be fore he died. He said I know you'll fix it someday. And some day I will.
   Why not find a nice chip and dale pattern and trace it on the Rippen bottom panel and top music desk area,.... Get a jig saw and go to town.
   

  Dale S. Erwin
  www.Erwinspiano.com
  Jim

  209-577-8397
  209-985-0990



   

   

  -----Original Message-----
  From: Mckeever, James I <mckeever at uwp.edu>
  To: caut at ptg.org <caut at ptg.org>
  Sent: Fri, Feb 25, 2011 2:20 pm
  Subject: [CAUT] Upright tone openings

   

  Why aren’t there “tone openings” in most uprights?  I recall a very old spinet which had cloth-covered openings at the sides of the music stand.  What about the lower panel?  Sound can get out of grands, but not uprights unless you raise the lid.  When I practice on my fine Rippen “Concerto” model, I often remove the bottom panel.  Of course, the tone is then fabulous.

   

  Comments, please!

   

  Jim McKeever
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