[CAUT] Mikhail Pletnev

[Wolfley, Eric (wolfleel)]

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
-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Richard Brekne
Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 8:09 AM
To: caut at ptg.org; pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [CAUT] Mikhail Pletnev

What.... has no one even heard of this guy ??  Famous Russian 
pianist.... does all his recording sessions with some trick involving a 
strip of felt placed in the action.  We are trying to figure out what he

does.  Not possible to get ahold of him and the only tech we know of 
that worked sessions with him has passed on. An English Tech from London

of some note.

Anyone heard of anything do to with this ?

Ric