<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue style='word-wrap: break-word;-khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space'> <div class=Section1> Fred:<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> 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.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> dp<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> David M. Porritt<o:p></o:p> <a href="mailto:dporritt@smu.edu">dporritt@smu.edu</a><o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Fred Sturm Sent: Monday, May 07, 2007 9:57 AM To: College and University Technicians Subject: Re: [CAUT] <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hamburg</st1:place></st1:State> Steinway<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <div> <div> On May 7, 2007, at 5:56 AM, Porritt, David wrote:<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p></o:p> In reality, with most pianists the instrument is chosen based on some<o:p></o:p> perceived quality more often than real qualities unless there is some<o:p></o:p> obvious disparity in the instruments.<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <div>             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?<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>             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.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>             Are pianists idiots? Yep, we are <G>.<o:p></o:p> <div> <div> Regards,<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Fred Sturm<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">New Mexico</st1:PlaceName></st1:place><o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <a href="mailto:fssturm@unm.edu">fssturm@unm.edu</a><o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <o:p> </o:p> </div> </div> <o:p> </o:p> </div> <div> <o:p> </o:p> </div> </div> </body> </html>