Re: Bösendorfer sound

Bec and John bjsilva001@comcast.net
Mon, 24 Jan 2005 16:18:25 -0500


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Hi Andr=E9,

I was about to respond to this thread but your response was much better=20=

than what mine would have been. I have had limited experience with=20
B=F6sendorfer's - I haven't even played one in over 6 years, but I can't=20=

remember any impressions of the lack of power. I was quite surprised=20
hearing people's comments.

- John


> But Joe, please allow me to say something...
>
> If that's your opinion about THE B=F6sendorfer grand, then how can it =
be=20
> that at the same time I am of the opinion that B=F6sendorfers can make=20=

> an awful lot of sound?
>
> I think we all agree that there is a difference between for instance=20=

> THE Steinway sound and the sound of other brands and we all=20
> instinctively know what that difference is. The Steinway was built=20
> with pure power in mind. Every technical aspect of it points to the=20
> idea of creating tension and power, resulting in that booming Steinway=20=

> we know so well.
> For that reason, it has always surprised me that, although not with=20
> the same intensity and built differently, other brands are also=20
> capable of a roar.
> Again, the transfer of power IS different and certainly not as=20
> efficient as the Steinway, but take for instance a good CFIII-S like=20=

> the one built for Richter. Man, that was quite a machine! How about a=20=

> well prepared Schimmel concert grand, a Kawai (although we hardly see=20=

> them here), even a Petrof concert grand and... the B=F6sendorfer =
concert=20
> grand.
> I was for training at one time at B=F6sendorfer  in Wien and I fell=20
> deeply in love with not only the character, but also with the warmth=20=

> and the thundering power. Don't tell me that a B=F6sendorfer can not=20=

> cope with a symphony orchestra. They sure can, but I think it is=20
> purely a matter of preparation, the regulation and the VOICING.
> I have had the interesting educational experience that if you make a=20=

> Steinway D very beautiful, voicing wise, the instrument can not cope=20=

> anymore with an orchestra.  When I experienced that for the first=20
> time, I was so embarrassed and worked all night long to improve the=20
> (percussive) power.  Two days later, there was the next piano concert=20=

> and then I was able to really hear and feel the sound of the D.  A=20
> week later of more work, and it had become a booming canon.
> In Wien, almost all the concert halls have B=F6sendorfers, obviously =
you=20
> might say, but they sure are not made of wax.
> I remember working on a Concert B=F6sendorfer here in Amsterdam. It =
was=20
> brought in by B=F6sendorfer because the National Austrian Orchestra=20
> wanted to have a pitch of 445 Hz! I tuned it a couple of times to=20
> bring it up to the desired pitch and was amazed that evening by the=20
> power and clarity.
>
> See, that event got me thinking about how it can be that although this=20=

> instrument differs so completely from Steinways, it still has that=20
> thundering power... in spite of spruce OUTER rims. (!)
>
> It is my personal experience that a well trained technician can make=20=

> any instrument into a roaring dinosaur but within limits.  I have=20
> listened to Richter on his famous Yamaha and there were moments where=20=

> I began to doubt the ability of the treble to transfer that molest,=20
> because Richter could be a piano lion himself. Nevertheless, the=20
> Yamaha stood up against the violence and did not even get out of tune=20=

> (wow).
>
> So I have come to the conclusion that very much depends on the=20
> technician, whether he/she is able to cope with the instrument. I=20
> think that is actually the most difficult task : to tame a lion so=20
> that it will lick your paws and mew for milk.
>
> friendly greetings
> from
> Andr=E9 Oorebeek=

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