Fazioli piano shocker...

[Dave2002]

More likely these:

I was amused by this, but not very PC nowadays. Animal rights and all that.

[Bryn]

I was amused by this, but not very PC nowadays. Animal rights and all that.

Indeed.

[LHC]

In the film of The Children’s act Emma Thompson ‘plays’ a Fazioli boudoir grand in her flat - a somewhat implausible £120,000 birthday gift from her subsequently adulterous husband . She then goes on to give a performance at one of the Inns of Court on another Fazioli. Is this an example of the world’s most optimistic product placement or did Fazioli sales shoot up afterwards?

I suspect that, after Alan Rusbridger bought himself a Fazioli when he left the Guardian and published all those articles about learning to play the piano, it became the instrument of choice for London’s luvvies.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I suspect that, after Alan Rusbridger bought himself a Fazioli when he left the Guardian and published all those articles about learning to play the piano, it became the instrument of choice for London’s luvvies.

They only appear to make 150 a year : all to order. I honestly can’t hear the difference from a Steinway and I’ve heard one live . I also wonder whether Emma T’s celebrated improv on Sally Gardens in the film was actually played on a Faz ...
Finally has any one heard the Rusbridger Chopin G minor Ballade ? That is such a hard piece : octaves, sixths , fast odd minor runs , filigree passage work that doesn’t lie under the fingers , awkward left hand - you name it and that’s without actually interpreting it!

[muzzer]

I suspect that, after Alan Rusbridger bought himself a Fazioli when he left the Guardian and published all those articles about learning to play the piano, it became the instrument of choice for London’s luvvies.

I’d like to meet the luvvie with £120k lying around to spend on a piano. I’ve got a bridge I can sell them too.

[Dave2002]

Indeed.

This quote is relevant

"But it's interesting that the sort of people who liked chimp tea party-type adverts don't like seeing them in cages.”

- yes, indeed. A good article about changes in society and treatment of animals.

[Oakapple]

The left pedal on my upright piano works in the same way as that fourth pedal on a Fazioli. So if it's good enough for the best pianists it's good enough for me. I've never gone along with certain piano teachers who say you should never use it but learn how to play softly without it instead. I once saw Alfred Brendel play close up and he was very creative in his use of the pedals.

[Bryn]

The left pedal on my upright piano works in the same way as that fourth pedal on a Fazioli. So if it's good enough for the best pianists it's good enough for me. I've never gone along with certain piano teachers who say you should never use it but learn how to play softly without it instead. I once saw Alfred Brendel play close up and he was very creative in his use of the pedals.

I misread your post at first reading, so deleted my initial response. Yes, the left pedal on an upright does essentially the same job as the fourth pedal on some Faziolis. However, on an upright, it is effectively a poor substitute for the una corda pedal on a grand, surely?

[Tony Halstead]

I’d like to meet the luvvie with £120k lying around to spend on a piano. I’ve got a bridge I can sell them too.

A violin bridge, a wobbly bridge or London Bridge?

[Oakapple]

I misread your post at first reading, so deleted my initial response. Yes, the left pedal on an upright does essentially the same job as the fourth pedal on some Faziolis. However, on an upright, it is effectively a poor substitute for the una corda pedal on a grand, surely?

Of course. The first two sentences of my post were meant to be facetious. But I was amused at how such a renowned maker was copying the action of a standard upright and so maybe my humble left pedal has some virtue after all. At least if anyone asks me what sort of piano I've got, I can honestly reply that it's like a Fazioli in some ways.

[Bryn]

A violin bridge, a wobbly bridge or London Bridge?

A dental one?

[ahinton]

I suspect that, after Alan Rusbridger bought himself a Fazioli when he left the Guardian and published all those articles about learning to play the piano, it became the instrument of choice for London’s luvvies.

Be that as it may, I believe that this was long after Angela Hewitt acquired hers...

[Bryn]

Of course. The first two sentences of my post were meant to be facetious. But I was amused at how such a renowned maker was copying the action of a standard upright and so maybe my humble left pedal has some virtue after all. At least if anyone asks me what sort of piano I've got, I can honestly reply that it's like a Fazioli in some ways.

It could, I suppose, be seen as a cheat pedal when playing Feldman, rather than carefully depressing a key, to engage with the escapement, prior to the final press to gently throw the hammer pad against the string(s).

[Once Was 4]

Be that as it may, I believe that this was long after Angela Hewitt acquired hers...

Of course much smaller instruments can suffer too: I understand that an airline recently destroyed a valuable 'cello (can anybody confirm this?)

Several years ago a well-known firm which specializes in the manufacture and repair of French horns had an instrument on display which had belonged to a well-known player with whom I worked many times. He was running for a bus carrying the horn in its case and jumped on just as the driver was closing the doors; the doors closed on his arm and he had to let go of the instrument in order to get his arm inside without being crushed. The bus behind ran over the horn which was irreparable.

The same firm repaired Dennis Brain's horn after his fatal car crash and it is now in the Royal Academy of Music Museum.

[ahinton]

Of course much smaller instruments can suffer too: I understand that an airline recently destroyed a valuable 'cello (can anybody confirm this?)

I don't know the specific details of the case that you had in mind but there have been several instances of airlines damaging instruments, especially stringed ones.