Hi folks, For PDQ Bach, I'd like to suggest Uneven Temperament. Or, possibly, Uncertain Temperament. Newton, if you have opportunity to tune for Prof. Peter Schikele again, will you convey to him the appreciation of this particular Scotsman for bringing to the notice of an insufficiently grateful world the work of this unjustly neglected composer. I have the CD's (and an LP), and one of my customers has lent me the biography. Mr. Schikele is to be congratulated for the scholarly rigor of that work. Also Newton, thanks for your comments about fortepianos, which are all true, of course. There was a class at the Piano Tuners Association convention a few years ago taken by Derek Adlam, who builds fortepianos. He spoke of 'a combination of all these lightnesses'. I know all the arguments, and it's all quite convincing. But I still think it's a dead end, and I guess I really just don't like it! Furthermore, if you listen to Brendel's recording of Bach's Italian Concerto, played on a concert grand (presumably Steinway) you'd say "who needs harpsichords either". Thanks however, Newton, for your interesting comments, and your good wishes, which have got the week off to a nice start! Dan, thanks for mentioning the Dick Hyman recording, which I'll look into, also the Sheffield Lab discs. Dick Hyman did a fine and very comprehensive set of Joplin recordings in the 70's, on vinyl. Boxed set of 3 LP's, as I recall. Don't know what piano he played, but If I think back, I don't think it sounded like a Steinway. Could be wrong though - such a thing has been known! Richard, you ask about the Wayne Stuart Concert Grand which I mentioned. There was a thread about this a while ago, but in case any are interested who missed it, I'll mention again that it is in the concert hall of Newcastle University's Conservatorium of Music, New South Wales, Australia. The piano is built by Mr stuart entirely from scratch (including the action) with the aim of offering something new in piano design. Strings are coupled to the bridge in a new way which limits the plane of the decaying vibration to the vertical, thus lengthening the tone and altering the harmonic content. the piano has four pedals. There is a website with pictures but not much technical information at http://www.newcastle.edu.au/department/fmu/stuart1.html Piano hammers - I looked at Bechstein uprights (among others) last October. Both the 122cm and the 131cm have Renner actions, but whereas the 122 has Renner hammers, the 131 was fitted with Abel hammers, which seemed much superior. Incidentally on the subject of quality uprights - I tried them all, on behalf of a client. Steinway, Bluthner, Boston, Seiler, Bechstein, hand-finished Yamaha SU131 etc. And the one that to my mind beats them hands-down and has the undoubted 'tingle factor' is the Bosendorfer, which is just magnificent. Only make I haven't tried, and would love to, is Steingraeber, whose 138cm is the largest upright piano in production. Anyone come across Steingraeber? Best wishes. David Boyce David@bouncer.force9.net
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