Piano parts for pre-1900 German grand

[Gevaert Pierre]

Hi Stéphane,

 

Thanks for reminding me the qualities of the English grand action. 

I read that Chopin prefered much more playing his Pleyel with English grand
action than his Erard with double action, except when he was getting realy
tired !

 

Pierre Gevaert

 

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De : pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] De la part
de Stéphane Collin
Envoyé : mardi 12 juin 2007 18:28
À : Pianotech List
Objet : Re: Piano parts for pre-1900 German grand

 

Hi Terry.

 

For me, the difference between modern action and viennese, or even english
action, is most obvious when the pianist plays very subtle PP dynamics.  In
a modern action, when you depress the key very slowly, everything goes fine
until you encounter the spot where repetition lever and the jack both hit
their button.  You then have much increased friction, more noticeable at PP
playing because you don't profit from parts inerty to overcome it, plus you
have the repetition spring to bend, even more if you regulate large drop
values.  Add to this that because of the bouncing effect of the shank on the
springy lever you have to regulate the letoff comfortably far away from the
string, and you understand that the dynamic range below PP is inexistant in
a modern action.

A contrario, on an english or a viennese action, there is nothing that comes
in the way when you depress the key : it is a continuous movement with
constant feel of resistance untill the very set off, which, because no lever
and no spring, you can regulate much closer to the string.  This means that
ANY movement of the finger to the bottom of the dip will cause a sound from
the string, proportionnal to the speed of stoke, foreseen that the set off
(the only regulation on those actions) is regulated evenly.  The dynamics
below PP are MUCH more controllable.

You could say : who cares to play that low levels ?  But then, in the hands
of a good pianist who took the time to understand these actions, those less
than PP dynamic ranges are used with great advantage to, for example,
lowering the level of the left hand accompanyment, while playing the right
melody at usual level, which results in a sort of tonal colour shades that
are simply unattainable on a modern action.  Most skilled pianists even put
some difference between the notes in one single chord played PP, like for
example a tid bit emphasizing the third in the chord, in order to give the
chord a rich warm colour (even more so with historical temperaments), or
emphasizing the fifth to obtain a colder but sturdier finale effect.  This
of course you can do also on a modern action, but not at PP level.  It is a
real experience to discover how much more a (well regulated) english action
can do for interpretation, at the cost of lightning repetition.  Even this
is only partially true : english action does repeat very well if the pianist
takes care to lift his fingers high enough between two repetitions.  By the
way, only a very small part of repertoire really requires this lighning
repetition.  Not even Liszt does.

The good in Blüthner patent action is that it retains the qualities of
english action (direct stroke, no intermediate levers) while providing a
slight hammer raise by mean of a spring, but you don't feel the spring as it
is constantly engaged in the system.

 

Best regards.

 

Stéphane Collin.

----- Original Message ----- 

From: HYPERLINK "mailto:mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com"Farrell 

To: HYPERLINK "mailto:pianotech at ptg.org"Pianotech List 

Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 4:11 PM

Subject: Re: Piano parts for pre-1900 German grand

 

Hi Jack,

 

I have never played a well-functioning single-escapement grand action.
Obviously, it is going to have some different characteristics from a modern
grand action. What are its characteristics that make it "one of the worlds
finest actions"? Is there any other action that it is similar to - such as
the Bluthner Patent action? Thanks.

 

Even though much of my work is somewhat geared toward "modern high
performance", I also know that there are other desirable goals out there.

 

Terry Farrell

----- Original Message ----- 


 

Hello John,

 

    I have original " Viennese"  parts in good condition.

 

   Are the broken parts all in one area or scattered

through out the action?

   

  This is one of the worlds finest actions. 

Of course this is contrary to what some say.

   It is slower but still fast enough for the majority

of people   

   

    I do not charge Technicians  for these obsolete 

parts.

  However I do ask that you donate whatever they are 

worth to you  ,,, to the   P.T.G.  Foundation.

 

   This of course is the  honor system. 

 

Regards 

Jack Wyatt

 

 






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