Mikhail Pletnev

[Annie Grieshop]

Belated thanks to everybody who jumped in on this discussion.  I'm working
on a Starr grand and just discovered a very thin strip of felt tacked over
the backrail felt.  Without this thread, I would have been baffled as to why
it was there.  You've caused me to think about key geometry more closely
than I ever had before.  Thanks!

Annie Grieshop

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wolfley, Eric (wolfleel) [mailto:WOLFLEEL at ucmail.uc.edu]
> Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 10:50 AM
> To: College and University Technicians
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Mikhail Pletnev
>
>
> Ric,
>
> I haven't heard of this guy but I do have experience with an action
> trick involving a strip of fabric placed in the action. Alicia de
> Larocca was coming to play with the Cincinnati Symphony a few years back
> to play the de Falla "Nights in the Garden of Spain" and I had heard
> that she preferred a light, very fast action with impeccable repetition
> to play this piece. On a tip from the NY Steinway guys in the basement I
> placed a strip of fairly thin fabric (muslim, I think) over the backrail
> felt. This simultaneously raised the hammerline a bit and made the
> keydip shallower which did indeed speed things up. I didn't have to do
> any other regulation. She loved it and thought I was a genius. I don't
> know if this will make an action feel lighter but it is conceivable to
> me that it might give that impression. I did have to pin some felt over
> the hammer rest cushions to make sure the jacks didn't trap.
>
> Eric
>
> Eric Wolfley, RPT
> Director of Piano Services
> College-Conservatory of Music
> University of Cincinnati