Grieg Experiment

[Richard Brekne]

Hi Ed

My understanding is that the parts that Grieg himself recorded are 100 % 
wax, but I can confirm this tommorrow.  I do know that these old 
recordings have undergone at least two digital treatments. The ones used 
hear cleaned up the sound quite a bit but there is another job done (in 
England I believe) where reportedly fantastic results were achieved.  I 
can find out more if this is of interest.

You raise a point about an optimal response to some particular string 
tension.  Very interesting point really.  Clearly this instrument needs 
a lower pitch. That is to say if one does not find the killer octave 
syndrom an attractive characteristic... and I do know pianists who 
actually do like that kind of sound.  I guess the point is that one can 
in some cases quite radically alter the response picture of the 
instrument by changing the overall string tension.

Cheers
RicB


    Nice recording, Ric.

    Is any of it 100% wax cylinder? The sound is pretty good on those
    sections.
    Nothing radical about the use of 435hz as a pitch standard for 1900.
    Given recent discussions about downbearing and soundboard stiffness, it
    isn't a wild leap to suppose that an instrument will have an optimal
    response to some particular string tension.
    (My 1892 Mathushek has it's original strings in good condition. I'll
    explore
    this when the action is restored and playing.)
    Ed Sutton