It won't be a Steinway anymore!

[antares]

>> To quote André Oorebeek from Amsterdam, Holland "The first years are always
>> the best, and that's the reason why concert D's
>> disappear from the stage after just a number of years."
> 
>quote from Richard Brekne :

> Yes.. and wheter Andre wants to  admit it or not, his is also a declaration of
> faith..escpecially in the direct reasoning he cites... "elasticity of new
> wood".
> There simply is nothing to firmly substantiate this claim. Certainly nothing
> within the realms of science. It remains speculation not much better founded
> then any other of the "theories" out there.

And here I do not agree. It is a well known fact in our profession that any
new instrument, beautiful or ugly, has at least power and a lively tone. I
am not talking about a beautiful tone, ok?
So if we skillfully replace a soundboard the sound will be more strong and
supple than before, and If you replace the old soundboard with another old
soundboard you will not get that result.
And, as I said, a fresh and well built copy of, for instance, a Walter
Pianoforte sounds much and much better than an old one. I hope you agree at
least on that one?
Then....
I service at the Concertgebouw a number of D's.
One of them is fairly young (4 years) but is a typical middle of the road
instrument, another is 6 years old and has a beautiful character, yet
another one is a little older with a so so sound (being used for Jazz and
alternate pitch, and the last two remaining are from the beginning of the
'80's. One of those older ones I recently restored. It is an instrument from
'83, it has gained considerably and has real character...and yet......
And yet, the sound is somewhat older and not to compare with the younger
ones. Everything is ok with it, it has all been renewed conform the factory
demands and yet, although it has more than enough power, it does not have
the same suppleness in tone as the younger ones.
This same story applies to all repaired instruments all over the world, of
that I am sure.
So...this knowledge, based on listening experience and combined with the
results of newly built copies of old violins and pianofortes gives me the
certainty that, at least, one of the reasons for decay in souplesse  lies in
the changed conditions of the wood.
I think I dare say that we >can not< deny that a new, well regulated and
voiced Steinway/Yamaha grand etc. >always< sounds better, that is : with a
more elastic and powerful tone, and with powerful I mean not just raw
one-dimensional power, but a power with 'layers', with more to it than just
BANG! I am sure you guys know what I mean.
In the end I am really convinced that the wood conditions alter over the
years : It gets un-supple, it gets tired from the unrelenting strain, it
dries out, the wood cells change...everything changes, just like in old
paper for instance. No wonder new wood sounds different.


Friendly greetings
from

André Oorebeek
Amsterdam, Holland

'where music is, no harm can be'