Pianotech

  • 1.  Bechstein with Debussy Fauré and Liszt in Kirnberger III and fortepiano with masonic Mozart in Meantone

    Posted 09-30-2024 13:38

    At the weekend the 1885 Bechstein at Hammerwood was for a concert with Debussy, Fauré and Liszt on the menu.

    Johanna De Coitre - Debussy Faure Mozart Liszt unequal temperament & fortepiano in meantone

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    Johanna De Coitre - Debussy Faure Mozart Liszt unequal temperament & fortepiano in meantone
    Johanna De Coitre, Professor at Conservatoire de Nice, at Hammerwood Park in Sussex UK. The 1885 Bechstein is tuned to a variation of Kirnberger III temperament and the Stodart 1802 fortepiano in Meantone. 00:00 Start 00:03 Debussy - L'Isle Joyeuse.
    View this on YouTube >

    We also presented two Mozart Sonatas in Meantone on an 1802 Stodart. 

    The 7th Mozart Sonata is Masonic, about life, being buried in the grave ceremoniously, and rising from the dead. In Meantone one can experience it. The hell of the grave in F minor is palpable. It's meant to sound horrible. Music isn't always meant to sound nice or entertain. It's to give emotional experience and that's why Key is chosen not to climb a staircase but to unlock a door to a different sound. Perhaps you won't like it - you're not meant to.

    This was a concert really exploring F major and F minor and likewise Liszt in the Après une lecture du Dante explores both heaven and hell. In the final chords of this you can see the video went fuzzy as the plant stand on which the camera was balanced vibrated because of the resonance that the tuning sets up. 

    Another example of this was in Greece a few weeks ago 

    Rachmaninoff Sonata No.2 Op.36 in unequal temperament

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    Rachmaninoff Sonata No.2 Op.36 in unequal temperament
    The piano resonated so much that the audience seating shook as if an organ was being played.
    View this on YouTube >

    when the seating platform was vibrating.

    The Bechstein was restrung in February of this year so it's not entirely stable yet and on the day I had to pull it up from 438.5 with the strings still stretching. The Stodart was changed from Kirnberger III to Meantone with a pitch correction to 425 on the day so again not entirely stable and if anyone's been familiar with tuning 222 year old pianos perhaps the shortcomings might be understable.

    Best wishes

    David P



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    David Pinnegar BSc ARCS
    Hammerwood Park, East Grinstead, Sussex, UK
    +44 1342 850594
    "High Definition" Tuning
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  • 2.  RE: Bechstein with Debussy Fauré and Liszt in Kirnberger III and fortepiano with masonic Mozart in Meantone

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 14 days ago

    Dear David,

    I have a client with a Bechstein, model A from 1877.  The Bechstein in your YouTube video sounds wonderful.  I noticed that yours goes up to C8, where my client's only goes up to A7.  I was wondering what type of wire you used for the new strings.  I was wondering if the 1877 could use modern wire.  Also, as my client's Bechstein has all original parts, did you replace the hammers or other action parts in yours?  If so what hammers did you use?

    Any information would be greatly appreciated.

    Sincerely,

    Bill Ryder RPT



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    William Ryder RPT
    Arcata CA
    (707) 822-3319
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  • 3.  RE: Bechstein with Debussy Fauré and Liszt in Kirnberger III and fortepiano with masonic Mozart in Meantone

    Member
    Posted 14 days ago

    I am curious about your Bechstein and its serial number to see if it is like the one I am responsible for at a local church. This one was rebuilt in early 2000 however I think the hammers are too heavy   . There are no capstans on the keys and it uses rockers to change hammer height. I would be interested bin exchanging pictures of the action in both pianos. The scale goes to C8 and I think it is a model B or BB .. It only has a damper/sustain pedal and a una chorda shift pedal . Full agraffes from end to end 



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    James Kelly
    Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
    Pawleys Island SC
    (843) 325-4357
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  • 4.  RE: Bechstein with Debussy Fauré and Liszt in Kirnberger III and fortepiano with masonic Mozart in Meantone

    Posted 13 days ago
    Hi Bill! And James!

    Lovely to hear your most gracious comments

    1877 is quite a bit earlier. Still overstrung i assume? I think this period to mid 1880s was really when 88 notes were starting to be the thing 

    The instrument has been a process. We got Abel to refelt the hammers with their then organic felt and let it be played in without voicing. Then a couple of years ago I reshaped making the crescent tops flat. Last year I got Michael Parfett who was one of the last trained by the London College of Furniture and then trained by Bechstein to revoice doping the bass hammers giving more body. Restringing then was with standard Roslau wire, also used successfully on the 1954 Emerich Betsy. Look up "Richard Burnett tribute concert" on YouTube and that instrument will come up

    Pins were one or two sizes larger but some pins are still not pleasurable to tune although manageable. I did a complete "tuning 1885 Bechstein " video which might provide interesting information which actually I did for my sons for when they inherit curatorship rather than anyone else

    If identified as Model A and with bullnose rather than fishtail its after 1902 or so I believe. There is confusion with serial numbers some with different numbers on the case beam underneath and the soundboard. This instrument is in the 14900s from memory or mid 15500s, with same number on beam and soundboard 

    James - rockers rather than capstans are standard. They are often replaced by capstans but the original rockers are revered. The touch is on the lighter side. Full agrafes are standard. So also appear to be false strings in the treble and which I think might even have been a design choice giving a singing velvet tone . 

    Best wishes 

    David P






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    David Pinnegar, B.Sc., A.R.C.S.
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    +44 1342 850594