"Graeme Wall" wrote in message
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On 20/03/2017 16:24, Iain Churches wrote:
"MiNe109" wrote in message
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On 3/20/17 2:35 AM, Iain Churches wrote:
Russian composer Serge Rachmaninov wrtote: "I took only two
important things with me to America, my wife Natalja and my
precious Bluthner piano".
Debussy also owned a Bluthner.
It does have a very distinctive sound, which lends
itself well to the music of the late romantic period.
Eiron mentioned the Aliquot system where a fourth string,
not struck by the hammer is added to the higher octaves.
I wonder what the Americans thought when Rachmaninov
took his Bluthner to the USA in 1918. They had their own
American piano sound with the Baldwin.
Don't know about their pianos but they made some damn fine locomotives.
Don't know about the locomotived but the pianos
were pretty good:-)
The record company where I worked in the
UK had four studios, each with a Steinway.
Studio III, with a huge recording area, had
three pianos, a Bechstein, a Steinway and
a Baldwin. Often a Bosendorfer was brought
in at the artist's request.
The Baldwin was about fifteen years old at the
time. It was never played (except by the staff)
because it had a stiff action. Paradoxically, it
had a stiff action because it was never played.
Our piano technician tuned and maintained it
with the other pianos. It was pristine - like new.
So it stood in a corner, unplayed and unloved, until
one day the decision was made to sell it. I was
working in that particular studio and was informed
that during the lunchbreak, a potential buyer was
coming to look at the Baldwin, and that I should
show it to him, and make sure he was left in peace
to try it.
At 1pm sharp, the potential buyer arrived. It was Liberace,
with an entourage of a dozen people. I uncovered the
Baldwin for him, took the disciples to the cafetereia and left
him in peace. After some twenty minutes, he came to the
control room. He "loved that peeyanna" , and was going
to pay me in banknotes!!! I took him up to the cashier's
office to conclude the deal. The next day the piano was gone.
Liberace had a collection of Baldwin pianos, but this one
became his pride and joy. After his death, a foundation and
museum was founded. Our Baldwin is still there.
Iain
Quad 520f + Lockwood. The classic British sound
Hybrid Mode
