Voicing old Steinway

[Wimblees@aol.com]

In a message dated Mon, 14 Oct 2002 23:03:29 +0200, pierre.gevaert@belgacom.net writes:

> Anyone a suggestion concerning how to voice or better how not to voice an old Steinway grand (220 cm) of 1867?
> This is a beautifull  American Steinway and has been purchased by the museum of instruments in Brussels. 
> The hammers have blue and yellow untherfelt and are  not in to bad condition, but the sound is a little to aggressive. 
> Probably that with new and well voiced hammers this piano should have an incredible sound, but they don't want those hammers to be changed.
> I suppose that voicing to much could mean ruining the 
> hammers? 
> Should I risk  deep needling?
>  
> Thanks,
> Pierre Gevaert
> Belgium.
>  
>  

Pierre

I presume these are the original hammers on this piano. I suspect the felt is just tired, and needs to be "energized". Have you considered steam voicing? Roger Jolley has explained this method several times. It is worth trying. Steam would add some moisture, and actually softens the felt. 

Use a hammer iron, but put a wet piece of cloth between the hammer and the iron. The beauty of steaming is that if it doesn't work, it is reversible. Just iron the hammer without the wet cloth, and the sound will come back the way it was.

Wim