Concert Grands

[salymap]

i

... all this is predicated on a Whig view of history - that things necessarily "improve" - and that a modern Steinway is somehow "better" than a 1920 Bechstein - a 1900 Erard - an 1870 Pleyel - an 1830 Brodmann - an 1805 Graf - a 1790 Streicher...

And this a Radio Three Board !

Lamentable!!!!

There was a lovely little Erard piano in the big concert hall in the first Augener building I worked in. We took our sandwich lunches up to the place where Corni de Bassetto aka GBS listened to artists and wrote reviews for posterity. I lifted the dust sheets one day and played a couple of notes. There was a small sad sound from it and I wished it could have been restored and played or put out ofits misery. The Salle Erard had come down in the world

[verismissimo]

... all this is predicated on a Whig view of history - that things necessarily "improve" - and that a modern Steinway is somehow "better" than a 1920 Bechstein - a 1900 Erard - an 1870 Pleyel - an 1830 Brodmann - an 1805 Graf - a 1790 Streicher...

And this a Radio Three Board ! Lamentable!!!!

That's the point, vinteuil. We have a well-restored 1870 Broadwood in our village church. Ideal for the space and acoustic, and with a warmer, less in-your-face tone than a Steinway.

When the Adderbury Ensemble played the Dvorak piano quintet there, I asked the viola-player what she thought about it. After a brief pause she said: "Actually I've never before heard myself play in that piece, the piano usually being so overwhelming."

Steinways best for the Festival Hall!

[Thropplenoggin]

Just listening to Michelangeli in Op.111



Once again I'm impressed by him in Beethoven!

[gradus]

Recently I read a piece about Steinway's perceived superiority that said that their ubiquity was a modern phenomenon as much to do with Steinways adroit marketing and artist sponsorship policy than actual superiority of their instruments. Well maybe, but there's little doubt that all the piano makers of repute produce fine concert instruments and not all pianists choose Steinway when a choice is available, some already noted above. I beleive that when the RFH opened it was to a British maker and not Steinway that the LCC turned for the resident grand pianos. Who would have guessed?
Sadly for me my own pianistic efforts are so modest that even a Steinway concert grand would make no difference unless it was their special edition Sparky model.

[Serial_Apologist]

If there was one, it never mattered what make of piano was in the hotel wherever we took our annual seaside holiday; so long as it was not locked, Dad would insist on playing Good King Wenceslas - the only piece he could perform note-perfect -regardless of the season. Whenever it happened, Mum and I would wish the floor would swallow us up.

[MrGongGong]

If there was one, it never mattered what make of piano was in the hotel wherever we took our annual seaside holiday; so long as it was not locked, Dad would insist on playing Good King Wenceslas - the only piece he could perform note-perfect -regardless of the season. Whenever it happened, Mum and I would wish the floor would swallow us up.

I wonder if Markus Stockhausen says the same kind of thing ?

"Dad insisted on playing the whole of "Klavierstück ix" on the piano in the local cafe ........."

[Serial_Apologist]

I wonder if Markus Stockhausen says the same kind of thing ?

"Dad insisted on playing the whole of "Klavierstück ix" on the piano in the local cafe ........."

Is that right?

Fathers and sons, eh? Wedgewood and Tuppaware!

[Flosshilde]

We saw Andras Schiff playing his own Bösendorfer in St David's Hall - the piano shifters got their own round of applause.

I should think the baggage handlers at the airport would deserve one, too! The logistics of taking one's own piano on tours has fascinated me since I heard the performers did so.

[Flosshilde]

When the Adderbury Ensemble played the Dvorak piano quintet there, I asked the viola-player what she thought about it. After a brief pause she said: "Actually I've never before heard myself play in that piece, the piano usually being so overwhelming."

& there are some people who would insist that a modern piano is better than an earlier one

[VodkaDilc]

The support service operated by Steinway is also top-notch. Occasionally we read of pianos (Fazioli, Bösendorfer, etc) which might challenge Steinway's supremacy, but they have made no real dent.

NB I have no connection with Steinways, other than being an enthusiastic listener and the owner of one.

In view of the previous comment, could I add that I am not advocating exclusively new Steinways. Mine is a 1924 marvel!

[Roehre]

That's the point, vinteuil. We have a well-restored 1870 Broadwood in our village church. Ideal for the space and acoustic, and with a warmer, less in-your-face tone than a Steinway.

When the Adderbury Ensemble played the Dvorak piano quintet there, I asked the viola-player what she thought about it. After a brief pause she said: "Actually I've never before heard myself play in that piece, the piano usually being so overwhelming."

Steinways best for the Festival Hall!

Reminds me of a Brahms-anecdote.

Brahms and a local cellist of average skills played one of Brahms' cello sonatas.
After the first movement the cellist asked "Maestro, would it be possible that you play a bit less loud as I cannot hear my own playing?"
To which Brahms replied "lucky guy"....

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Re #12, today I achieved my lifetime ambition - playing a Bosendorfer concert grand with 4 additional notes below the normal bottom A. Sadly . I did not have that Dohnanyi Rhapsody to hand to exploit those additional notes, but there will be another day.

[gradus]

Does anyone know what happened to the original RFH house grands of British manufacture (Kemble,Challen?). Purchased before Steinway held sway everywhere.

[Dave2002]

The support service operated by Steinway is also top-notch. Occasionally we read of pianos (Fazioli, Bösendorfer, etc) which might challenge Steinway's supremacy, but they have made no real dent.

There are good and bad Steinways, and I have seen and heard these in concerts, sometimes to comic effect. As a result of a poor piano which clearly was disliked by a very distinguished pianist one concert club has switched exclusively to Faziolis, without problems so far.

In the last few weeks all the Steinways (several) I've heard have been good.

[Gordon]

If you have not seen it already try this film about the making of a Steinway, fascinating. There are some You Tube clips as well including a short tour of the NY factory.

http://www.amazon.com/Note-The-Making-Steinway-L1037/dp/B001P8M9FK