Put a new set H,S & F on the Yamaha David Ilvedson Pacifica, CA On Mar 24, 2010, at 8:53 AM, "Paul Milesi, RPT" <paul at pmpiano.com> wrote: I would appreciate some opinions/input regarding preferred piano size for a small recital hall in our music department. The hall has a wooden stage, wooden walls with soundproofing material behind them, 110 upholstered seats, a tile floor slanted toward the stage (I believe there's a name for that?), and a short drapery behind the middle portion of the stage. Overall, the room is very "dry" rather than "wet" sound-wise. This recital hall is the only performance space located within our small music department. We do have access to other spaces around campus, but they and their pianos are not within our control. This small hall is our primary recital space, and currently has a 15-year-old Yamaha C5 (6'6") as a recital piano. The Yamaha is wearing down a little, and we might have the opportunity to reclaim a 1970 Steinway D from another venue that actually belongs to the Department of Music. I put new hammers, shanks & flanges last year, but it still needs a lot of work to really be a recital instrument (too much gospel music over the years). Big issue is of course budget, but I feel if we don't at leat try to reclaim the D now, it will be lost to us as a recondition-able, rather than rebuild-able, instrument. In other words, I want to save it from further abuse in the Chapel, and provide them with a more suitable piano in terms of their available storage space (small) and uses. The likelihood of the Department acquiring another concert quality piano in my lifetime are virtually non-existent, as I see it. The C5 is currently our ONLY performance piano. So...what are your thoughts on a D (or any other 9'footer, for that matter) in this hall? I think if voiced to the hall (no lacquer applied to the new hammers yet), it would be a wonderful piano -- and world's apart from the C5 (which is still a nice instrument) -- for student and faculty recitals. This assumes I can do sufficiently successful reconditioning (several pulley keys, balance rail mortises bushed correctly (big mortises from glisses), etc.). Some faculty have thought this piano would be "too big, too much sound." Thanks for sharing your expertise and experience. I've already gone out on a limb for this. Now I'm having second thoughts, second-guessing myself, so I'm anxious to hear what you think. :) -- Paul Milesi, RPT Staff Piano Technician Howard University Department of Music Washington, DC
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC