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<P>After reading so many messages about sounding boards over the=
last few weeks, some observations:</P>
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<OL>
<LI>I'm jealous. Robin H. must get more than his share of=
wonderful Steinways in the Dallas area because my experience=
doesn't match his. I have concluded that the "good" ones=
come in clumps. We have 29 Steinway grands at SMU some=
wonderful, some not so. Eleven of these instruments were=
made in 1983 (SN 485xxx). They have proved to be=
outstanding, durable, singing instruments. Whatever they=
were doing in 1983, I wish they were still doing it. Our=
best Steinway "D" is in that group and is exceptional. We=
have 2 others from 1993 (a D & a B) that are not so=
wonderful. The D was retired to a faculty studio in=
2000. No matter what was done to it, the instrument just=
wouldn't give what was needed. If the piano were voiced to=
make it even, it was powerless. If voiced to gain more=
power, the "'So called' Killer Octave" was too obvious to=
ignore. In truth, it probably wouldn't have been as=
obvious if the other piano in that recital hall weren't so=
good.</LI>
<LI>I'm grateful for the few people who will work to improve our=
chosen profession. They do it in small shops, experiment=
with their own money, and manufacture innovative designs in=
single units. They share what they have learned with us=
and urge us to do better work. For this, they get=
criticism of their ideas, and insult to their motives. I=
hope they stick with their work, and continue to contribute to=
this list. The Steinway founders did the same thing=
building their instruments in their own home. Without=
people like this we'd still be playing clavichords.</LI>
<LI>I am impressed with the syllogistic rhetoric of the most=
frequent contributor to this thread. Seldom is this level=
of idea twisting seen, even in politics. I guess if you're=
going to do something, you might as well do it well.</LI></OL>
<P>dave</P>
<P><BR>__________________________________________</P>
<P>David M. Porritt, RPT</P>
<P>Meadows School of the Arts</P>
<P>Southern Methodist University</P>
<P>Dallas, TX 75275</P>
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