Restoring Collard & Collard Grand

Stéphane Collin collin.s@skynet.be
Thu, 3 Mar 2005 22:17:17 +0100


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Hi Joe !
   I used the designated pitch of the time, (British era), to do the =
initial evaluation.

What pitch did you use ?  I suspect it was higher in those times, at =
least at Collard & Collard factory.

   Then I rescaled, using the original tensions as a criteria and modern =
pitch.

That is clever.  But you used modern wire, did you ?  Same tension in =
stiffer wire would lead to a more inharmonic sound as original, no ?

   The piano came out very nice. Yes, the tone was different, but that's =
why "ancient" instruments, like this, are of great importance. It gives =
us an idea of what "Tone" was desired/achieved in the past. (Modern Tone =
is nothing like what the past was, IMHO. Much to my chagrin, I might =
add!)

Such an intricated puzzle.  The more I learn about period stringing =
strategies (or lack of those), the more I feel like the best way to =
restring is to listen to the music the strings make.  Take the material =
you can get (as close to the original as possible), choose your wanted =
diapason (anyway, they did the same in those times where there was no =
standard), put a certain gage under right tension : if it breaks too =
easily, put a bigger one ; if it sounds too funny, put a smaller one.  =
Music should be the guide.  I'm sure in every period music was the only =
concern.

What do you think ?

Best regards,

St=E9phane Collin.
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