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Brahms on a Cristofori copy

  • 1.  Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Posted 05-13-2018 01:04
    Found this recording of Brahms on a Cristofori copy. Unbelievable sound in my opinion.

    http://static1.squarespace.com/static/55eccf25e4b0765e0830ffd1/t/55f66aa5e4b04a24f1743c02/1442212536858/Brahms+on+Cristofori.aif.m4a/original/Brahms+on+Cristofori.aif.m4a



    ------------------------------
    A hunter's drumbeat steers the stampeding herd,
    His belly growls in hunger to what he sees.
    The mammoth aware blows his mighty trumpet,
    But alas, the caveman tickles the ivories.

    chernobieffpiano.com
    865-986-7720
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-13-2018 01:22
    Surprisingly dark and deep tone. With much finer strings, lower tension and those tiny hammers, that's really something. Shows how much proportionality influences outcomes.

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    Steven Rosenthal
    Honolulu HI

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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Posted 05-13-2018 07:51
    From the website christoforipianos.com:

    "Cristofori is manufactured by Pearl River, the largest and most technologically advanced piano manufacturer in the world. Now over 60 years old, they operate out of a new 1 million square foot manufacturing and R&D facility. Joint ventures with venerable piano makers like Yamaha and Steinway, are testament to their quality."

    Sounds just like it.



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    Ed Sutton
    ed440@me.com
    (980) 254-7413
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-13-2018 08:15
    Is there any video and/or substantiation to go along with this recording?  To me, it sounds a bit too "modern". Much more treble sustain and too "meaty" of a sound for such an early instrument.

    I could be wrong though.

    Pwg

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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    603-686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Posted 05-13-2018 09:49

    Here is a pic of the instrument, and the text from the builders website. Peter, I too would like to see a video performance. Hopefully the new owner in Norway will produce a few videos.



    "Until I built this  6 Octave Cristofori Fortepiano, no one had ever attempted to take Cristofori's design to its maximum limits.  It is double strung in Brass.  The two pedals work the Dampers and the Una chord keyboard shift.  This piano is my Opus 363 made in 2003 and finally completed and sold in 2007 to the Technical University in Trondheim, Norway.  The recordings below were made by Marianne Ploger on this piano just before it was shipped to Norway."
    -Keith Hill


    -chris
    #caveman

    ​​

    ------------------------------
    A hunter's drumbeat steers the stampeding herd,
    His belly growls in hunger to what he sees.
    The mammoth aware blows his mighty trumpet,
    But alas, the caveman tickles the ivories.

    chernobieffpiano.com
    865-986-7720
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Posted 05-13-2018 12:57
    That sound is enough to cause me to take up the kazoo.

    Brahms?...why the devil Brahms? You've got an early but messed with historic fortepiano, and play music on it that was written for a version of the modern piano??

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    Jim Ialeggio
    grandpianosolutions.com
    Shirley, MA
    978 425-9026
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Posted 05-13-2018 13:54
    Happy Kazoo making then!
    Jim, such a purist view from a person who alters every piano like you do struck me as odd. 
    And I'm sure the choice of music was simply up to the pianist.
    -chris



    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-13-2018 14:05
    Much of Brahms piano repertoire utilizes a compass beyond the one Cristofori employed. I listened for 30 seconds and was unimpressed. But I am a fan of Cristofori!

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    Edward McMorrow
    Edmonds WA
    425-299-3431
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Posted 05-13-2018 14:21
    just feeling crabby...went to plant a dogwood and hit an ancient rubble trench...ignore that crabby person. He's just my evil twin.



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    Jim Ialeggio
    grandpianosolutions.com
    Shirley, MA
    978 425-9026
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Posted 05-14-2018 16:01
    Keith Hills instruments are spectacular.  Hearing Bach on his cristofori he built in 1996 was what originally caught my attention. The recordings dont even do them justice though. I played one of his harpsichords and it was as though it was alive.

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    Jason Leininger
    Pittsburgh PA
    412-874-6992
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    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-15-2018 05:28
    Jason, the Cristofori piano in this thread is a modern grand, not a historical copy.  I was raised on Keith Hill instruments.



    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-15-2018 08:35
    That might explain why my immediate impression of the sound was nice, but not like a 17xx instrument.

    Pwg

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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    603-686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Posted 05-15-2018 10:31
    Douglas,
    I saw Keiths name and was happy to have the chance to celebrate his work on the list.  His florentine pianos made me completely reevaluate my thoughts on the early piano. Sounds like you have a lot of experience with his instruments......

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    Jason Leininger
    Pittsburgh PA
    412-874-6992
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    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Posted 05-15-2018 10:33
    How can the piano we hear in the picture, be called modern?



    Original Message


  • 15.  RE: Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-16-2018 09:05
    You mean it's not on of these cristoforipianos.com?

    Now it is very hard to believe it is a copy of an antique.   I have heard Cristofori copy live.   It sounded great but not like this.   I do believe this is the direction the modern piano industry is heading, as the modern piano has absolutely nothing to do with 19th century music and has become a completely different instrument.

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    Douglas Laing
    Tuner/Technician
    Tampa FL
    727-539-9602
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    Original Message


  • 16.  RE: Brahms on a Cristofori copy

    Posted 05-16-2018 11:31
    Keiths' florentine pianos do not sound like the other "copy's" being made currently. The modern piano is just a reflection of the culture......one that takes little to no notice of the subtle properties of acoustic sounds.

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    Jason Leininger
    Pittsburgh PA
    412-874-6992
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    Original Message