repetition/backcheck problem

[Richard Moody]

----------
> From: Israel Stein <custos3@ix.netcom.com>
> To: caut@ptg.org; caut@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: repetition/backcheck problem
> Date: Tuesday, August 25, 1998 10:30 AM
> 
> At 07:32 AM 8/25/98 -0500, Richard Moody wrote:
> >One teacher I had was a good pianist, another was a very good pianist. 
> >Both used to pull this rapid repitition "trick" two fingers, (one
finger
> >two hands, machine gunning if you will) to test my regulation. (The
hammer
> >instead of checking would "catch" (bind)  on the back check)  He didn't
make the claim that it was an
> >impish impulse of Mozart to compose such a piece that would tax the
> >mechanism, but I will.
> 
> One can't compose a piece to tax a mechanism that hadn't been invented
yet.
> Of all the amazing faculties attributed to Mozart I don't remember
reading
> about prescience... You might wish to study a Mozart-era Viennese action
or
> two before indulging in such speculation - 

The Erard pat.1821, with the repititon lever is the predecessor of the
modern
action . You are right that Mozart
could not have written for this action. However that does not discount
that he might have written passages that taxed the actions of his time.
Idle speculation, perhaps, but at least interesting to me as a technician.
That they might also fail on ours would indeed be interesting. 
	Mozart 1756, 1791.  
	  "Silbermann improved the Schroter action ......and extended the hammer
butt beyond the axis, using this extension for escapment.  About 1780
Johan Adreas Stein of Augsburg added to this the "hopper" by aid if which
the annoying blocking of the hammer was overcome...improving the touch so
much that most virtuosos perferred the Schroter-Stein action to the
English."  from Alfred Dolge.

 
>you might discover that the
> playing technique described above will likely break the letoff >beak
(ask me
> how I know...) 

> 
> Israel Stein


I should state this is a TEST technique, not a playing  technique, however
if piano players are familiar with it, it might aid in altering touch
slightly where pianos are suscepticle to "chomping" as I call it, or at
least
vexing unwary technicians with it.  ; )
	(also I believe it has to do with "dancing" keys in addition to the key
not comming all the up, since the grand action is designed to repeat
without full return.)

Richard Moody