To be or not to be: a heavy hammer

[Delwin D Fandrich]

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  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Isaac OLEG=20
  To: Pianotech=20
  Sent: October 03, 2002 12:09 AM
  Subject: RE: To be or not to be: a heavy hammer



  To have the Glengould tone we will not need heavy hammers at all, but =
Arthur Rubinstein would be sad of a too light one I guess.

Interesting you should bring up Arthur Rubinstein in this context. I =
prepared and tuned the local CD piano for him several times in the early =
70s.=20

The instrument was relatively new but had been used in New York for =
several years by Steinway. When the piano arrived in Portland (Oregon) =
it had relatively small hammers that had been so heavily lacquered they =
more closely resembled small granite sculptures than anything intended =
for a piano. Everybody complained about it, most notably our symphony =
conductor (also a pianist). Something had to be done--and fast. I =
saturated the hammers with acetone a few times and washed out as much of =
the lacquer as I could. This loosened them up considerably and, with a =
bit of careful needling and a light sanding they came around rather =
nicely.=20

I was quite new at concert work of any kind the first time Mr Rubinstein =
performed in Portland and I was some nervous to be working for an artist =
with his reputation and experience. Especially when I heard he had =
used--or at least played on--the CD piano we now had. My primary concern =
was that it had now changed considerably and he might not like it. I was =
fully prepared to fill the hammers up with lacquer once again if he =
requested a 'brighter' tone. Turned out he really liked the piano just =
as it was--he had not cared for it when he played it in NY--and ended up =
requesting that the piano accompany him for the rest of his northwest =
(U.S.) tour.

So much for large, heavy hammers on concert pianos. And, for that =
matter, heavily lacquered hammers. At least in this case.

Del


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