<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2604" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; = FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bottomMargin=7 bgColor=#ffffff leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 = rightMargin=7> <DIV>Wim:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>"I read a paper once where a pianist, who also rode the pedal a = lot, was forced to play a recital without the use of the una corda pedal. He had = to adjust his playing style completely, playing expressively. The review = stated he never sounded so good. That is why I think this professor thinks he is = playing expressively, because he pumps the pedal a lot, but I don't hear the = nuances he is trying to create."</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Exactly.  It seems that most if not all the list members = seem to view heavy use of the "dua" corda pedal as a priori justified, = apparently because some pianists do that (again, I haven't observed concert or = highly skilled pianists doing what Wim described), or because it allegedly allows an added range of timbre (presumably one that couldn't = be duplicated by mere expressive playing).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'd like to propose that apparently radical notion that if this = pedal disappeared tomorrow, expressiveness in piano performance would not = only not decline, it would, if anything, improve.  You have, basically, = an infinite dynamic range from applying different degrees of force = to a key alone, without what is, essentially, a special-effect pedal.  = Yes, some pianists may use it, but that doesn't demonstrate its utility; it = may simply confirm that people will use a function that's available, = especially if it can serve as a crutch.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Does the una corda pedal change timbre in a desirable or even = particularly noteworthy way?  The only way I see that this pedal can substantively change timbre would be through different sections of  the hammer surface producing different tones.  But surely, if = the pedal were employed consistently throughout its full range of motion, a = tonal evening out of hammer surface would result (probably accelerating wear = as well), tending to negate that effect?  And if its rationale is tonal = alteration, there are any number modifications that could be made which would alter = timbre far more dramatically (e.g., metal tabs, electronic modification of = sound waves, etc.), so why aren't we advocating those?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Best,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Jeff</DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>