jmichael@noscvax.UUCP (James A. Michael) (01/25/85)
(Raid)
During the discussion about frequency response of the human ear, someone
asked the question, "What about those extra keys on the bass end of the
Bosendorfer Imperial?" I believe that there are no extra keys on this
piano, but there are extra strings. The reason apparently is that
the tension in the bass keys will be more uniform if all of the strings
(those that do have keys) are adjacent to more strings, rather than
the normal structure of the harp.
Jim Michael
{ihnp4,decvax,akgua, dcdwest,ucbvax}!sdcsvax!noscvax!jmichaelsharpe@drivax.UUCP (Andrew Sharpe) (01/27/85)
<> > During the discussion about frequency response of the human ear, someone > asked the question, "What about those extra keys on the bass end of the > Bosendorfer Imperial?" I believe that there are no extra keys on this > piano, but there are extra strings. > Jim Michael Uhh... Excuse me, but there ARE extra keys on the largest Bosendorfer. -- _____________ / | _______ | | | |__ / | | Andrew Sharpe | | | | | | | | | | | | { ihnp4, mot, ucscc, amdahl } !drivax!sharpe | | |__| | | | | / | | | | ------- | / -------------
shauns@vice.UUCP (Shaun Simpkins) (01/28/85)
Sorry, but there ARE extra keys on the bass end of the Imperial. I've played
one at our local dealer. WOW. I've been told that the extra half-octave is
there for increased depth in the bass. Notes in the higher octaves induce
sympathetic vibrations in the extra bass strings. As far as I'm concerned,
those extra strings are not playable directly for anything musical, giving off
a (seemingly) tremoloed low rumble with a very sharp, irritating initial
thwack from the hammer strike. But, boy, what they do to the bass and mid-bass!
Glorious!
Interesting aside - someone commented to me that Bosendorfers are not often
found on the concert stage since they do not project well. Thus, they are
found more in the recording studio and small chambers where the microphones
and more intimately positioned audience can pick up all that beautiful
articulation.
The wandering squash,
--
Shaun Simpkins
uucp: {ucbvax,decvax,chico,pur-ee,cbosg,ihnss}!teklabs!tekcad!vice!shauns
CSnet: shauns@tek
ARPAnet:shauns.tek@rand-relayrfg@hound.UUCP (R.GRANTGES) (01/30/85)
[] I suspect the real reason that Bosendorfers are seen so seldom on the concert stage is their astronomical cost, which means the rental fee is probably astronomical as well. Here in the low rent district of New Jersey, a cheap Japanese Grand (Not even a Yamaha) goes for $400 a performance. Not many organizations or performers can pay that sort of robbery without some kind of gimmick. One nice gimmick is to have someone donate one for a tax deduction (some deduction). But, if you owned one would you travel with it? -- "It's the thought, if any, that counts!" Dick Grantges hound!rfg
mat@hou4b.UUCP (Mark Terribile) (01/30/85)
Another note (:-) on the Bosendorfer -- when Victor Borge was giving a show
in Carnagie Hall in which he was going to SIT on the piano keys, he demanded
the Bosendorfer. It seems that it's the only piano that will stand up to that
sort of garbage.
It was mentioned (in the article where I read the above) that Franz Lizst
played the Bosendorfer because he would break strings on most other pianos.
--
from Mole End Mark Terribile
(scrape .. dig ) hou4b!mat
,.. .,, ,,, ..,***_*.jona@clyde.UUCP (Jon Allingham) (02/04/85)
> > Sorry, but there ARE extra keys on the bass end of the Imperial. I've > played one at our local dealer. WOW. I've been told that the extra > half-octave is there for increased depth in the bass. Notes in the > higher octaves induce > sympathetic vibrations in the extra bass strings. As far as I'm > concerned, those extra strings are not playable directly for anything > musical, giving off a (seemingly) tremoloed low rumble with a very sharp, > irritating initial thwack from the hammer strike. But, boy, what they do > to the bass and mid-bass! > Glorious! > > Interesting aside - someone commented to me that Bosendorfers are not > often found on the concert stage since they do not project well. Thus, > they are found more in the recording studio and small chambers where > the microphones > and more intimately positioned audience can pick up all that beautiful > articulation. > Just a few comments, 1) A Boesendorfer Imperial has almost a full octave more than the average grand, it either goes all the way to the a or just to the c, I don't remember for sure. 2) They ARE playable, I've heard Tschaikowksky's 1st piano Concerto played on one where the octave passages in the base are played as ocataves with both hands in the places it has to be played as a single note in the left hand on normal piano's. It is awesome. 3) They are a lot more common in Europe Concert Halls than in American, that's understandable; they cost a fortune to import and Steinway has a lot of the American market. I think that the Minnesota orchestra uses one a lot, but I don't remember for sure. I know one of the well known American Orchestra Houses does. 4) When I played on one several times in Europe ( at the Music/Musical Instrument Fair held every year in Frankfort, West Germany ) and had the opportunity to compare Boesendorfer, both Steinways, Petrof (excellent, but not well known ), Yamaha, and most any other Grand you can name, the Boesendorfer was by far the best, and most popular there. -- Jon M. Allingham (201)386-3466 AT&T Bell Laboratories-WH "Beam me up Scotty, no intelligent life down here!"
chenr@tilt.FUN (Ray Chen) (02/06/85)
> 3) They are a lot more common in Europe Concert Halls than in American, > that's understandable; they cost a fortune to import and Steinway has > a lot of the American market. I think that the Minnesota orchestra > uses one a lot, but I don't remember for sure. I know one of the well > known American Orchestra Houses does. Importing pianos is a real pain if you want to keep the piano in good shape. Besides the obvious things like not rattling it around, dropping it, etc., there's also the problem of climate control. Most foreign-made pianos are made of wood cured in climates different from the U.S. When they get moved to the U.S., the "climate shock" is often enough to make strange things happen to the wood. Not enough to be noticable by most people, but to a pianist who's tempermental about his pianos, it can be painfully obvious. I've played on a variety of grand and concert grands, American and German Steinways, Bosendorfers, Baldwins, Yamahas, etc., and the German Steinways, Bosendorfers, and Yamahas usually felt less responsive in terms of the depth and range of tone and power than the American Steinways and Baldwins (although I hate all Baldwin grands except for their concert grand, but that's another story). I've no doubt that properly acclimatizing a piano could be done but it would be very painful, slow, and costly. In America, I'd prefer an American Steinway or a good Baldwin concert grand. Now, if I ever got the chance to play in Germany... Ray Chen princeton!tilt!chenr