Eric Schandall on Lacquer Voicing

[Barbara Richmond]

Hi Ric,

Interesting.  I friend of mine, who shall remain anonymous, told me that the
un-lacquered type hammers (over here) won't do for orchestral pianos.  His
university had a well known person hang a set of well known hammers and it
was of everyone's opinion (who heard the pianos), that the piano without the
NY Steinway hammers just didn't cut it with an orchestra.  Well, I wasn't
there, but I can imagine that other factors could make a difference, too
(besides hammers).

Just reporting what I was told.  :-)

Barbara Richmond, RPT


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ric Brekne" <ricbrek@broadpark.no>
To: "pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 12:33 PM
Subject: Eric Schandall on Lacquer Voicing


> Hi folks
>
> Some of you know that Eric Schandall was one of the instructors at the
> Nordic PTA convention in Stockholm last weekend.  His first class was all
> about how to voice the New York Steinway and included quite abit about the
> differences in basic approaches between needled hammers and hammers that
> use lacquer.
>
> First and foremost, I have to say I was very gratified to hear that
> Steinway NY does NOT use lacquer because it is supposed to be an easier
> approach. Upon asking him directly about the ease question, he answered
> that all in all its about the same level of difficulty, tho he was not
> referring to the physical work required in traditional first voicing with
> needles mind you.  The reason given for Steinways choice in using the
> lacquer approach is because they feel they do not get the sound they want
> with needled hammers.  I.e. Eric, and Steinway NY are of the opinion that
> lacquered hammers yield a different sound then needled hammers.  He cited
> more power as one alleged asset, voicing stability as another, and a
> larger dynamic range due to the very localized affect of needle placement
> when voicing for soft shift play.  Course he didnt really see any
> advantages to the Hamburg approach.. but then he was from NY :)  He DID
> state that it was his believe that prior to WWII all hammers all over the
> world needed lacquer.
>
> FWIW
>
> Cheers
> RicB
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