Una Corda Adjustments and Christian Zimmermann

[Horace Greeley]

Hi, Ric,

At 11:55 PM 1/4/2005, you wrote:
>Been watching this thread with some interest. I've never seen one of 
>these, and actually was not aware of its existance. After looking at the 
>action I was stunned to see the angles in the keys needed to get this to 
>work. Personally, I have no doubt that pianists can adapt to whatever 
>width standard is out there. So long as there is a consistancy in step 
>height one will seldom stumble it is said.  But I have to wonder about 
>(without this meaning any negative prejudice) these horrific looking key 
>angles, and how that affects action performance over time.  I wonder if 
>any of you with experience out there could speak to that.

Good question - however, there have been lots of fairly successful 
instruments with some very odd keystick/frame designs...some of the older 
Mathushek and Charles Frederick Stein instruments come to mind.

>As far as the artist temporarilly installing such an action for every 
>piano he gives a concert on.... I have to immediatly wonder about voicing 
>issues.   The soul impediment must be because he's used to the width of 
>the octave.  I cant believe the end response is going to be the same from 
>instrument to instrument.

Not sure you picked up on what Zimmerman is alleged to be doing - he is not 
using the Steinbuhler keyboard.  He is using a standard 
keyboard/keyset/etc, equipped with a Hamburg/Renner action/hammers, which 
he personally prefers to work on himself.  And, depending on one's ear, he 
is either successful or not.  No, the response is not the same from one box 
to the next.

Still, these kinds of artistic choices are not at all new.  Any number of 
well-known artists have had very idiosyncratic "setups" without which, they 
felt, they could not possibly perform well.  Eugene Istomin was one - his 
issue, which he clearly acknowledged as a neurotic need, was the length of 
the head of the key.  He could, and repeatedly did, from across a room, 
tell you the length of the key-head within 0.5mm.  Another, who is still 
active, so will remain nameless, has a physical condition that requires a 
very non-standard combination of rep. spring tension and check height in 
order to play.  (No, it's not Leon Fleischer.)  Still another, poor sap, 
can feel the placement of the fly/jack under the knuckle within less than 
0.5mm.  The list goes on; but the point is that this is what we are paid to 
do - interpret the artistic needs in terms of what a given instrument can 
do, and then _do it_...no matter how ridiculous (to us) it may or may not 
seem.  What's important is the music - if that cannot happen, what's the 
point?  And, of course, that is where the value judgements come in.  At the 
end of the day, whether it is one's self or the artist who does the work in 
a given situation, what is the end musical product?  Does one come away 
moved, or enlightened, or swept up...or, bored, annoyed, etc.?

Best!

Horace



>Cheers
>RicB
>
>Horace Greeley wrote:
>
>>
>>>Our piano preparatory department is just now starting to do some
>>>experiments with younger students (Elementary age).  We have 3 studio
>>>uprights with the 7/8 keyboards in addition to the grand actions.  I'm
>>>looking forward to reading the research on this.
>>>
>>>So far, our experience with the 7/8 actions has been very positive.
>>
>>
>>This is great!  I appreciate the response.  Please do not hear my obvious 
>>skepticism as total negativity.  My own exposure to these actions has 
>>(obviously) been limited.  I look forward to hearing more!
>>
>>Best.
>>
>>Horace
>>
>
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