> THIS MESSAGE IS IN MIME FORMAT. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Rob, David Winston, of Period Pianos in Kent, England restored this last Beethoven piano that's been mentioned. I got to know David when he spent a couple of weeks in residence at Oberlin a few years ago doing repair work o= n an old Erard that he had sold to the Conservatory. He's a fine fellow, and I'm sure would be able to offer you some interesting and useful insights into the Broadwood. I believe that he's restored lots of them. http://www.periodpiano.com/tradition.htm I believe it's quite common for the older Broadwoods to suffer from serious warping of the case due to a lack of sufficient structural strength to support string tension over the long period of time we're talking about. It's something restorers have to deal with in these pianos. We had one of these instruments at Oberlin and it was a classic case of this problem. It was unuseable in it's unrestored condition. I also seem to recall that there are more of these old Broadwoods floating around than one might expect: if memory serves, I believe David told me tha= t Broadwood was making something like 5,000 pianos a year in their heyday. Best regards, Allen Wright ---------- From: Michael Gamble <michael@gambles.fsnet.co.uk> To: Rob Goodale <rrg@unlv.nevada.edu> Subject: Fw: More on the Broadwood piano Date: Tue, Nov 11, 2003, 4:00 PM ----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Gamble <mailto:michael@gambles.fsnet.co.uk> To: Rob Goodale <mailto:rrg@unlv.nevada.edu> ; Pianotech <mailto:pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 5:41 PM Subject: Re: More on the Broadwood piano Hello Rob Goodale who said: "(someone commented on this a few days ago, I'm not sure who because it's o= n my other computer at home). " I am the guilty party who commented on the action in your "find". I could only describe the way the hammer butts fit in on one long centre-pin captivated by about four (or may be five) brass "comb-like" plates. Under the main rail are the set-off screws. Be very careful here. Do not adjust unless you're certain they can be adjusted without breaking. In this I woul= d suggest heating the shank of the set-off screw with a soldering iron in one hand and "wiggling" the correct size slot-head tipped regulating tool in th= e other. I have a book here entitled "Broadwood by Appointment a History" by David Wainwright. Published by Quiller Press Ltd., 11a Albemarle St., Londo= n W1X 3HE in 1982. ISBN 0 907621 10 4 I also mentioned the possibility of finding the various craftsmens names stamped on various parts of the piano and its action, suggesting you might find one of the Dove family included. As for "who played this piano and what was played on it" most certainly Chopin. In fact I have an LP (remember those things?) of the last programme played by Frederic Chopin himself on a Broadwood Grand in London just befor= e his death. The pianist, Kenneth van Barthold, played on the actual piano used by M.Chopin and the sale of the PLs was to raise funds for that piano'= s restoration. The piano is in a museum near London. Historical books on the life of Chopin are also of interest here. Indeed Beethoven himself was sent a Broadwood by the company in 1818. Thomas Broadwood, head of the firm at that time, visited Beethoven in Vienna - then sent him a fortepiano. Beethoven wrote back to Thomas a thank-you letter "My very dear friend Broadwood, I have never felt a greater pleasure than your honour's intimation of the arrival of this piano with which you are honouring me as = a present. As soon as I receive your excellent instrument, I shall immediatel= y sernd you the fruits of the first moments of inspiration I spend at it, as = a souvenir for you from me, my very dear B, and I hope they will bve worthy o= f your instrument.".... etc. When Beethoven died the six 8ve mahogany Broadwood grand was given to Franz Liszt who left it in his will to the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest. It was later used by Melvyn Tan for = a series of recitals in Budapest, Bonn (where Beethoven was born), Vieanna (where he died) and London where it was made. It is insured (this is the interesting part!) for =A35 million. That was in 1991. What is its value now - 12 years later?... I could go on, but everyone MUST be bored by now. Regards Michael G (UK) Any more? Regards Michael G (UK) ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/3b/c2/2e/67/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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