Chopin's piano

[Dave Doremus]

On 3/19/07, Farrell quoth:
>I would love to have the opportunity to give a serious listen to 
>three levels of early pianos - all original (which I have heard), 
>properly (authentically) restored, and accurate new reproduction. 
>That would indeed be quite an educational opportunity.

Terry, these opportunities are available and interesting, if you have 
a chance to attend say the Boston Early Music Festival or visit the 
Smithsonian, the Met, the Shrine to Music or some of the European 
museums. My perspective is somewhat unusual because as well as modern 
piano training I spent several years with a harpsichord and 
fortepiano builder and restorer in DC and Northern Virginia. The 
early instruments are a revelation to those not blindly stuck in 
modern piano mode. They may not be to your taste but what they can 
reveal about the music is fascinating. I personally think exposure to 
early instruments, the history of keyboard instruments and their 
literature, would be a valuable addition to any piano technical 
curriculum. When I started out, non equal temperaments were purely in 
the early music world, when I tuned Valotti on modern pianos, and 
told people how easy early temperaments are to tune aurally, I felt 
like a real rebel. Now, of course, thats not unusual at all thanks to 
great teachers like Ed Foote. There should be more interaction 
between the modern and early instrument camps. You'd be, I think, as 
impressed by the quality of work going on in fortepiano workshops as 
in the shops of the best rebuilders and designers of modern pianos. 
But, yes, the claim to reveal the piano sound as Chopin heard it is a 
bit over the top......
-- 
----Dave


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Dave Doremus, RPT
New Orleans
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