My adult student, David, is a man for all seasons! He not only studies piano, with a penchant for the works of Bach, but he restores antique airplanes, and builds pianos. Add into the mix, his taking a ride in one of his personal airborne creations with a J.S. Bach soundtrack to accompany his soaring… Continue reading An Adult Piano Student who builds pianos and restores planes
It's a good sign when a piano establishment is open on Memorial Day! In the glow of its colorful banner, Beethoven's was such a welcoming opportunity of which I availed myself. An important "player" on Manhattan's "piano row," it's one of a few restorers that also offers a selection of NEW instruments--like the Sauter (German)… Continue reading Beethoven Pianos on W. 58th is a treasure of restored pianos, and new ones, too.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/arts/music/for-more-pianos-last-note-is-thud-in-the-dump.html?pagewanted=2#59;ref=arts&_r=4&adxnnlx=1343746997-So2LFy3bwlbB06xhRqMQ%2FQ I read reams of comments attached to this article, and most who'd posted were emotionally devastated by a graphic slide show of grand piano dismemberment, pulverization and landfill-dumping. It amounted to an unmarked grave, or even worse, since the dust pile would be untraceable over years. A principle at Faust-Harrison, a high-profile piano dealer… Continue reading A NY Times article on landfills of discarded pianos is thought-provoking
I had the invaluable opportunity to interview various Registered Piano Technicians around the country about various aspects of their profession. First, to become a RPT, the candidate takes an exam that's administered through the Piano Technician's Guild (PTG) which has branches in cities all over the country. Since piano tuning is not a licensed profession,… Continue reading The voices of piano technicians around the country
In this part two follow-up to York's World War II Memoir, the seasoned piano tuner relaxes into his emblematic animated conversation, telling the world how to eradicate mice, rats, and moths from pianos. Oldsters watching better have a fresh pair of Depends, because York lets loose with some mighty over the top, funny lines. Throw… Continue reading Piano Tuner, York on Mice, Rats, Moths and Cats (Video, part 2)
Due to margin mechanics problems, part of Patricia Frederick's text was missing in today's blog on the Fritz piano, so here are the entire paragraphs which have relevance to the discussion. Patricia Frederick http://www.frederickcollection.org/ "What I particularly like about Viennese actions such as the Fritz, is that the single escapement gives such a direct sense of being in… Continue reading Patricia Frederick’s text is provided in full where it had some missing parts in the Fritz Blog.
On a wind swept day in March, while I was shopping in a busy Northwest Fresno plaza, I spotted a curvaceous baby grand piano through the open door of the American Cancer Society Discovery Shop. Its sunbathed, feminine profile and polished wood exterior drew me to it with the force of a magnet. Decades before, I… Continue reading The Fritz Piano of Vienna: A Romantic Era Reborn
