Enormous thread on soundboards

David M. Porritt dm.porritt@verizon.net
Sat, 27 Sep 2003 09:35:39 -0500


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After reading so many messages about sounding boards over the=
 last few weeks, some observations:

I'm jealous.  Robin H. must get more than his share of wonderful=
 Steinways in the Dallas area because my experience doesn't match=
 his.  I have concluded that the "good" ones come in clumps.  We=
 have 29 Steinway grands at SMU some wonderful, some not so. =
 Eleven of these instruments were made in 1983 (SN 485xxx).  They=
 have proved to be outstanding, durable, singing instruments. =
 Whatever they were doing in 1983, I wish they were still doing=
 it.  Our best Steinway "D" is in that group and is exceptional. =
 We have 2 others from 1993 (a D & a B) that are not so=
 wonderful.  The D was retired to a faculty studio in 2000.  No=
 matter what was done to it, the instrument just wouldn't give=
 what was needed.  If the piano were voiced to make it even, it=
 was powerless.  If voiced to gain more power, the "'So called'=
 Killer Octave" was too obvious to ignore.  In truth, it probably=
 wouldn't have been as obvious if the other piano in that recital=
 hall weren't so good.
I'm grateful for the few people who will work to improve our=
 chosen profession.  They do it in small shops, experiment with=
 their own money, and manufacture innovative designs in single=
 units.  They share what they have learned with us and urge us to=
 do better work.  For this, they get criticism of their ideas,=
 and insult to their motives.  I hope they stick with their work,=
 and continue to contribute to this list.  The Steinway founders=
 did the same thing building their instruments in their own home.=
  Without people like this we'd still be playing clavichords.
I am impressed with the syllogistic rhetoric of the most frequent=
 contributor to this thread.  Seldom is this level of idea=
 twisting seen, even in politics.  I guess if you're going to do=
 something, you might as well do it well.
dave

__________________________________________
David M. Porritt, RPT
Meadows School of the Arts
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX 75275


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