Bechstein hammer #1

[Concert Piano Service]

On 8-mrt-2007, at 21:50, Allen Wright wrote:

> Stephane,
>
> Except for some moth damage, it's remarkably well-preserved, isn't  
> it? That looks to me like several layers of leather underneath, and  
> then a felt layer underneath the outer felt.
>
> It will be interesting to see if these hammers still have decent  
> tone after the piano is restored.
>
> Allen
>
> <IMG_5250.jpg>
>
> IMG_5250.JPG



In my opinion (seen from this picture), the hammers belonging to this  
instrument are totally gone.
The hammer felt and leather have changed and oxidized over time, it  
does not have the same quality it had before, the hammers are worn,  
they look molded and eaten by insects and thus the original texture  
and quality has gone a long time ago.

What comes to my mind (no, you did not say that) that there are  
musicians who will say that, when they are confronted with an  
original piano forte, they now perfectly understand what Mozart meant  
when he wrote his music for this type of instrument.
That is of course not true at all, because the original instrument  
has been been ravaged by time/ The wood is not the same anymore, it  
has crystallized, the fibers of the wood have changed completely and  
so has the elasticity.
The soundboard  and the down bearing etc etc have changed, so that  
the instrument is a mere shadow of what it once upon a time.
Now if you take a well built copy, you come much closer to the truth  
of the matter, because it more honestly resembles the instrument when  
it was built anew.

In fact this is an old issue here on this list, but I can't help it,  
I am opinionated and, although I respect museum pieces, I'd rather  
drive a brand new BMW or mercedes instead of a mildewed and limited  
car built in the early years.
I know... I have my flame suit ready.




friendly greetings
from
André Oorebeek

Antoni van leeuwenhoekweg 15
1401 VW Bussum
the Netherlands

tel : 0031 35 6975840
tel : 0031 652388 008

concertpianoservice at planet.nl
www.concertpianoservice.nl

where music is,
no harm can be


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