Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Steinway D - in apology and response to another post...

Today I played a Steinway D in recital, it was a 2008 hamburg model. I was really looking forward to playing it and when I sat down and rehearsed I was pretty disappointed.

The piano didn't sing, it felt like it had really short sustain, the action was incredibly heavy and it didn't have a great deal of possibility in the dynamic range - ok it could go very loud, and it could be very soft, but controlling it was very hard because there was just so much inertia.

I am pro-Steinway - I think they are generally wonderful pianos (although they are not my favourite), and I have to say I've played some beautiful examples of the model D, but this particular one just didn't do it for me. Perhaps this is the kind of thing that our friend who has had the problem purchasing a New York model D has run into. The sound just didn't 'open' on it, virtually no sustain and uncontrollable.

It was in a small cathedral. Perhaps the acoustic swamped it, and perhaps it hadn't been well-prepared, but I just felt like the poor piano had no song left. Lots of punch and power, but it wasn't a singer!

So, I'm sorry I doubted or original poster about his bad Steinway experience, because today's concert proved it can happen - be it a tech, acoustic or piano problem.

A 2008 is awfully young to be having true piano problems, unless the he11 has been beaten out of it. Oh, wait, it's in a cathedral, right? So the he11 HAS been beaten out of it.

Seriously, church pianos can have maintenance issues. But jeez, a cathedral with a D on the floor surely has the money (and taste) to keep it in good working order. Doesn't it?

You'd be surprised.

One of the problems with large, and especially aging, churches is environmental control. The RH is all over the map. Pianos don't seem to find it heavenly at all.

Marty, I know that adverse humidity conditions can cause a piano to go out of tune. But humidity couldn't cause all of the problems that Joe described, could it?

Yes it certainly can! Of course the piano might just be a dud. That can happen too.

Joe, that sounds like a rather awful experience. I'm glad it was you and not me. What was your program?

Cheers, and glad to see you here again.

Almaviva,

Humidity can wreck havoc on any action. Though rare, it can even happen to the composites. However, that wouldn't be the case in this situation.

What was described could certainly be the result of fluctuating humidity. Also, neglected service on the action (regulation/lubrication) could add to the problem, or be the problem.

The lack of sustain is anyone's guess. That is certainly not a characteristic of the Hamburg-D.

It seems that the piano was "tampered" with in some way as it wouldn't have left the factory in that condition.

Dontja jest luv a mystry?

Everybody in the industry knows that it is impossible to draw conclusion about an entire line of pianos from one single experience.

A tuner friend of mine in Germany is head technician for the renowned "Rhur Festival" one of world's largest "who's who" type concert series for classical pianists.

http://www.klavierfestival.de/index.php?id=kuenstler&no_cache=1

I had the pleasure to see and try before several of the Steinway concert grands there: each one is a magnificent specimen technically prepared by one of Germany's finest.

The variables between these and a not optimally serviced piano in some odd cathedral setting are not indicative of what these pianos are all about.

Try again, perhaps elsewhere...

Norbert

When relative humidity rises, all the wood and felt in an action swells up and gains mass from the added moisture. This slows down the action both by increasing friction and inertia. Also the hammers are duller sounding from the softer felt and increased inertia slowing the rebound rate from string contact.

That said I have heard "dog" Hamburgs. They are not all perfect, same as not all NY's are perfect. I prefer to work with a NY hammer when tone regulating. Having to do wholesale needling of all but the top two octaves does not lead to the most stable, long, lasting voice.

Fascinating. Then answer this, Marty. Pianos existed long before air conditioning and Dampp Chasers. How did piano technicians keep their instruments in good working order when they were at the mercy of the elements, i.e. no control over humidity?

Almaviva - With constant service! (Or, the pianist ignored the sticking keys and sluggish action.)

Norbert, don't get me wrong, I have played some truly wonderful Hamburg Ds, and some excellent New York Ds, this post isn't to slag Steinway at all, it's just that sometimes you come across a piano that has issues.

I think that humidity CAN cause these problems, but also I think that the church will have neglected the piano. The piano was actually a gift to them, so they didn't pay for it themselves, and I think they think 'oh, wow, new Steinway, don't have to do anything to it!'.

If the piano isn't being regulated, then humidity will cause these problems and they won't go away until things are made good by the tech.

The lack of sustain, well, some Steinways are like that and some aren't. The heavy touch - there was a batch of Steinways made around 2003-2010 that seemed to play like trucks, it was like they were putting on heavy hammers to try and give more power. They seemed to have changed this particular characteristic back and it is working better on their latest models.

Greg! Hi! How are you? Mendelssohn Fantasia Op.28 and Beethoven Waldstein. With the shock of the piano action the Mendelssohn was a bit hairy in places, but the Beethoven worked well. It was very difficult to use any kind of jeu perle touch, but I did manage the glissando octaves - it was heavy but not 'stiff'.

Yeah, usually Steinways are fine, and usually hamburg Ds are excellent pianos, but this poor thing needs attention!

Not all Steinways are created equal. They are like snowflakes. No two are alike.

All pianos eventually take on characteristics of the person who cares for them, no matter who made them. If nobody takes care of them, that is a characteristic they take on.

Another rather odd thread. Did you or your agent report this situation to somebody who needs to be aware of the condition of their concert piano?
Was your recital part of a series of recitals by other pianists? Was it a paying audience? You could have refused to play it.
Everything you describe can be caused by excessive humidity coupled with lack of adequate servicing for whatever reason.
Nothing is being achieved by ranting on here.

"...Nothing is being achieved by ranting on here..."

Why not; everyone else does, and as long as they watch their language, keep a civil tongue in their head, and have something of a care about libel... hey, let a thousand flowers bloom. Besides, sometimes people do learn something from ranting, or if not they (and it is true that some OPs seem indifferent to anyone's point of view but their own), then other readers.

You would need a microscope to find PW if your wish came true. The advertisers wouldn't like it.

There's a big difference between ranting and rambling.

This must be the most mild rant in PW history.

People kepp forgetting again and again that the preparation, maintainance and service of a piano is of utmost importance.

Last week we got a new piano in that was less than ideal, even surprising me.

On Saturday the piano sold to a prominent piano teacher who had tried it for a couple of hours. [among others]

Having my own tech out on medical, I had "emergency-hired"
another top tech letting him set up piano for better part of day. Admittedly, the guy is very good.

Wasn't the cheapest but difference was phenomenal.

P.S. "same piano"

Norbert

I was thinking the same thing. Seemed to me like pretty calm sharing of a not-so-great experience.