OK-Norbert: Where memorable "settings" were concerned, I once walked up on the little "stage" in Aspen Where Alicia De LaRocha had just given a master class--and played middle C.

On a more memorable note still, while touring Mozart's childhood home in Salzburg, I gently reached past the barrier rope and barely touched the corner of his piano--at least I'm pretty sure it was not a harpsichord.

And yes, I know, I could go to hell for that.

Russ

I'm glad to hear Dave Ferris' Steinway D is finally starting to perform the way he was hoping when he bought it. That news is worth reviving this old pianomadam thread.

I think Norbert's comments are very perceptive. What we hear and like at any particular moment depends on our mood, our hearing at the time, the instrument, the acoustic surroundings, the company we are with (if any), the humidity in the environment, and of course the piano itself. We all know our own pianos are more satisfying on some days than others, and if we catch a showroom piano after a good regulation and tuning it ought to impress us. The only thing I can generalize about is that the quality of all pianos on average has improved dramatically in the past 30 years, thanks to competition.

Related to that, the most memorable piano I ever played was the Horowitz piano when it was on tour through Steinway. Looking at all the scars on it, feeling the keys, knowing where it had been and most importantly, who had played it all had a profound effect on me. Playing it was very moving and almost spiritual.

.

I certainly can tell you the best UPRIGHT I have ever played. That would hands down be the krakauer I owned. That thing had the beauty of a grand, and played like a dream.

The one that connected most with me was a Shigeru Kawai SK6 that I played at a local(ish) dealer. The combination of exquisite tone, gorgeous sustain and super responsive action was something else - definitely one of those moments where it felt like the piano knew what I wanted to do before I did. Preferred it to both a Bluthner model 2 and a Hamburg S&S D (used) in the same dealer, actually.

I do miss the Steinway D in the concert hall of my alma mater, though. Fantastic action and I always loved playing in that big hall.

I bet if I played this piano...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fazioli-Grand-2005-M...#ht_4003wt_1167

My mind would change. But until that dream...

Geeze those cost a LOT new!

Wow this thread brings back memories. The best piano I've ever played remains a certain C&A Steinway D...I'm convinced that there is no piano out there than can touch it. It's pretty beat up from years of concert service, but oh, does it ever sing!

sophial: As a sidelight on Horowitz's piano, when Glenn Gould's beloved CD318 was dropped and shattered beyond real repair (they tried but it was never the same), one of the trips he made was to New York to look for new pianos--even though he hated to travel. Horowitz's tech (the lead for Steinway, but I forget his name) didn't even show him VH's piano--which had an action that supposedly rivaled 318. As a result, Gould flew the coop and bought a Yamaha on which to record his second rendition of the Gouldberg Variations--which he finished the week before he died.


Brandon: I had a Krakauer upright--heavily engraved and at least partially rebuilt. It had a honky tonk sound, but never was suitable for classical music. It was covered with red mahogany finish, but when I stripped that off, it was walnut veneer with solid walnut carvings. I put 20 coats of hand-rubbed tung oil on it.

Regards,

Russ

Yes, Russ, A Romance on Three Legs, by Katie Hafner, is a fantastic book about Glenn Gould's life with his piano.

I played one of Horowitz's NY Steinway D pianos at the Tattered Cover Bookstore a number of years ago as it was put on a tour for short displays around the country. I don't know if was the best piano I've ever played, but it was simply magical being able to sit and play at the same keyboard as did VH.

The Steinway D at Grusin Music Hall comes to mind as a magical instrument under my fingers. It was the most well-prepped, superbly sounding, most responsive piano I've played.

Glen

Haven´t had the privilege to play on many different pianos (yet!), but so far my favourite would be my teacher's August Förster baby grand, and I don't think that will change any time soon!
It's a lovely piano, I'm glad I get to learn on it every week!

I know many of you will find this hard to believe but the best piano I've ever played was a Knabe 6'4" grand that was made in the 30's and restored by the Camaleri piano works in the seventies. I played it in the early 80's and it belonged to a dear friend and writing partner who got it as a surprise gift from his wife. I can still remember what a delight that piano was.

According to Franz Mohr's book, H. forbade them from allowing Gould to try the piano.

Still can't get over the first time I played a Bosey 225 in Duluth, GA. Still my dream piano. Don and Sam, one day. And really it seems (others say it too here), just about any new Bosey 225 seems to be just incredibly perfect. It could be the perfect piano.

Close second was a Fazioli 228 in San Francisco at Piedmont Piano or whatever they called the SF store before it closed. Wasn't thinking I'd like it but it had superb action and awesome tone I thought. I still don't like the art deco looking logo. That makes it second. I think if I found that perfectly just barely used 228 (pretty rare I'm thinking), I might take it over the new Bosey 225.

I bought my C6 only a year or a year and a half old and that made me feel pretty good about it. Hard to find those. Still have no regrets, even though I'm still paying for it.

And really one of the best too was at Piedmont in Oakland. Again, a surprise, they had a Yamaha CFSIII 9-footer and it just played like a million bucks. It may have been one they rented although it was in perfect condition and so it perhaps was broken in just perfectly. So again, it played so easy and sounded so good, it was definitely one to be proud to own.

However, since I probably would never want or require a 9-foot piano in my home, the 7-footers (the 225 and 228) became the pianos that made the top of my list.

One of the best pianos in memeory were all the Hamburg Ds my friend Marek Korcjak is tuning each year for the German Rhur Piano Festvial. Put a monster technician to a super piano and all "hell breaks loose"...

http://www.marek-korczak.de/

Hope we can get Marek come visit us again when our new Estonia 9' concert arrives....

Norbert

1. Steinway D at a recital at the University of Illinois School of Music auditorium

2. New Baldwin L at Ric Overtons's PianoSD store in San Diego. It had been given the Stanwood prep treatment. So much for "they don't make 'em like they used to..."

3. 1935 Steinway L that I play at a weekly volunteer gig

Horowitzian: Yes--Franz Mohr was the head tuner whose name I forgot. Apparently Gould called him directly (not asking for Horowitz's piano--but simply for A piano--and Mohr kept his mouth shut about the Horowitz instrument. An argument could have been made that, had Steinway realized Gould would do the unthinkable and buy a Yamaha (or, I think, TWO Yamahas, for God's sake!) they MIGHT have reconsidered. After all they did own the piano--and although there was no love lost between Gould and Horowitz (on either side), I doubt Horowitz would have been as likely to renounce Steinway as Gould was. Personally, I would have done what Mohr did. I suspect that Vladimir had given the company a lot less grief than Glenn did.

[edited to correct mistake]

Regards,

Russ

You mean Gould in that last sentence, right?

I looked in the book, and all Mohr actually said is that H. would have never allowed Gould to use his piano. Apologies for misquoting it!

I think Horowitz was indeed very happy with Steinway. He once told about how he played numerous pianos upon arriving in Europe from Russia. He tried all the major brands (I believe he mentioned Blüthner, Grotrian-Steinweg, Bechstein, and Bösendorfer specifically), but he settled on the Hamburg Steinway as his choice there, and of course he began playing the New York instruments upon his arrival here in the US.

Duh, yes--can't walk and chew gum at the same time. (Put me in charge of health care )

No problem with misquoting--I do it on a daily basis-sometimes without meaning to.

Russ

Thanks and Cheers!!

A 220cm rosewood Stuart and Son's piano at Piano Time in Melbourne. Just amazing!

It was a long Fazioli at Rich Galassini's place in Salt Lake City. It was during a competition so I didn't take a very close look at what the model was. I had to focus on Rachmaninoff.

There are also 2 Hamburg D's at the U which were very nice last time I checked.