Pique, another point,

Faust Harrison (and maybe somebody else already mentioned this--Ariel is right about me on this one, I only read the last couple of posts,) is having a "contest" between a S+S "B" and a M+H "BB" side by side. Play the pianos, vote for the one you like and you could win it!

Two points on this:

1. I was disqualified (didn't play well enough.)

2. The "B" is fine, the "BB" is one of the best pianos ever created in MHO. (Like buttttaar.)

(Now, put the "BB" up against the 1899 "B" down the street at Beethoven's and it would loose every time.)

And for the record Piano Piano sucks. (I think you said as much once.)

TomK is wise beyond words (ignoring that bit about the 1899 "B" down the road...)


Now for a bit of pary crashing:

Since you are a group who values the idea of Forum members' parties and getting acquainted with each other personally, outside of the Forums, you are all cordially invited to the Washington DC/Baltimore area piano party on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2-7pm at Steve Cohen's very-interesting-sounding house. Follow the corresponding thread as details develop. Bernard has already indicated he might come down on the train. I hope to see some of you there.

If this particular event isn't feasible for you, perhaps we can all mingle at a get together at Cunningham Piano in Phil. sometime in the future, as Rich has indicated he would be happy to host an event.

likewise, ed,
all of your gang down there is more than welcome to join us in new york on (probably?) october 18th.

i am thinking that since.....

a. playing pianos together is an essential part of getting together for most forum members

b. most people are working friday afternoons and will have trouble meeting us in time for playing pianos

c. some joining us are coming from out of town and need time to drive or take the train (and would have an easier time of it if they weren't facing rush hour traffic)

d. some piano showrooms evidently choose to have fridays as their concert days and so might close to visitors in preparation for those concerts on friday afternoons (we could certainly check that supposition out easily enough)

....that we start thinking in terms of saturday, october 18th as the date that works best for the majority. (if anyone reads the above trend differently, don't be shy about contradicting me.)

it seems to me that the most important part of being sure we can do what we plan is to contact the owners of the shops on piano row and ask them if they can guarantee their availability to us on that date. (and check the concert schedule at fh as well...)

any volunteers?

david, you had offered to call carl demler--do you know him well? would you still do that and see if he'll put us on his calendar?

other locals care to pick a piano row shop:

faust harrison
klavier haus

and set up a time?

i'd also vote for visiting steinway hall, if there is time, just for the contrast.

i won't patronize pianopiano myself, but others should feel free....

Pique and group,

I hesitated to call Faust and Klavierhaus today about their concert schedules, since it is Labor Day and I assumed they were closed.

The websites of both places don't list any concerts for the 17th or 18th, but it could be that the sites are just not updated yet. I think F-H has not firmed up its schedule, but I'll call tomorrow. Klavierhaus does have some info on the 21-piano concert.

In fact, I can contact Faust about our potential visit. I am a bit curious as how to frame the question. Is it: how would you feel about a horde of 20 or so pianists of all experience levels descending upon your store on the 18th, and could you reserve some time for us all? :p

Jus' kiddin' of course, but seriously, how should I approach them? I suspect Saturdays are pretty busy days for the stores.

I'm not sure about F-H's B vs. BB run-off. I had thought they finished that months ago, but then I never heard that a winner had been selected. Who knows?

At Faust ask for Kevin R. and say a lot of REALLY NICE THINGS about Liszt. I'm sure he'll accommodate you.

having a personal "in" certainly does make a difference, and those of you who do know people at these stores shouldn't hesitate to make use of the connection.

i think also if you explain that we are an online community that helps each other find pianos, and some of us are meeting face to face for the first time, and some have traveled from as far away as montana, pennsylvania, chicago, dc, and coxsackie, they may see it as a good opportunity to buff up their reputations, if not possibly end up making a sale or two.

is anyone who is coming actually currently looking for a piano? even if not, we're going to report our impressions here on the forum, and that could result in a sale.

try to get them to agree to the afternoon of the 18th. if that absolutely doesn't work for one of the stores, please report back here.

now a second thought--perhaps we should ask some of the dealers here how they would like to be approached and then take their advice?

here's a link on the beaux arts trio concert on the 18th. the focus is on the art of pianist menachen pressler, who will lecture as part of the concert. tickets just went on sale today.

please check this out:

beaux arts trio at the met october 18th

oops, my bad: it looks like the lecture/concert is a different one in the series, but check it out anyway.

tickets are very reasonable at $35.

right now it looks like we're neck and neck for our choice of concert for the 18th:

bernard, lucy, and pianomuse have voted for alicia de laroccha as their first choice.

myself, david burton, and phlebas have voted for the beaux arts trio as their first choice.

also possibly in attendance are:

decibel101
rich d.
frank b.
tomk
linda in pa
kluurs
realplayer
concertkey

would all of you please review the previous posts about these two events and cast your vote? since these tickets will go fast, and there are quite a few of us, perhaps we should get the concert tickets purchased this week.

of course, if you want to pass on the concert and just join us for the piano crawl and dinner, that's great, too!

right now i'm planning to leave town in the morning and will be gone for a week.

bernard, assuming your offer to buy us a block of tickets is still good, if we decide on the beaux arts trio, please get a ticket for me. i'll send you a check or money order to cover it next week, if you notify me of the purchase in my absence.

if the decision is alicia d., i'm not going to be able to go unless we get the cheaper seats, and i'm still on the fence as to whether i'll attend that one. i might just meet you all after.

i won't be online much today--too much to do, but i hope others will weigh in soon... maybe if necessary post an announcement on the piano forum to remind people to check in here?

Hi, Folks:

I would be interested in joining on Sat., 10/18, for the piano-crawl and dinner/drinks after. Probably won't be able to join for concert, though.

pique: If you can suggest a specific time, I would be willing to make the contact at Klavierhaus. I've had recent interaction with them.

Thanks . . . Linda

here's a proposed schedule:

klavierhaus at 1 pm
beethoven's at 2 pm
faust-harrison at 3 pm
steinway hall (optional?) at 4:30 pm

dinner reservations for 5:30

curtain at 8 pm

that should give us some wiggle room as to time, an take into account travel time.

anyone who is going to call the dealers, please take a look at steve cohen's response to my query on how to go about this in the piano forum.

looks like from penny's response that we should also plan on some time to just play one at a time.

pique,

It was an excellent idea to post the thread in the Piano Forum.

Once we firm up a date, I would be glad to call any of the dealers, although I do not have a relationship with any - except some people I know who work at the Steinway factory in Astoria.

I guess we're not putting PianoPiano on the list.

Some of this is duplicated from my posting in Piano Forums.

I am awaiting a call-back from Faust/Harrison, as I am trying to set up our visit there. Strange, no one picked up the phone today; I left a message...maybe they're extremely busy.

We should note that Faust/Harrison and Klavierhaus are not large showrooms. You even have to be buzzed into the front door. Beethoven's, with its 2 floors, is somewhat larger than those two. Steinway & Sons is large, Altenberg's in NJ (with their auxiliary building) is large.

Maybe we should stagger our arrivals, or just divide ourselves into Group A and Group B so we don't all descend on one place at once.

Also we might consider A&C Piano Craft, a few streets away. Again, not a large store, and I think it's rebuilts only. I've seen some nice work from them.

I always did have a funny feeling about PianoPiano. Instruments out of tune and so jammed together you can't walk around in there. I've met some nice sales staff, but perhaps that's as far as it goes.

the sense i am getting is that the best date for the majority is saturday, october 18th. this includes a couple of emails i've received, as well as what has been posted here.

if anyone thinks i've misperceived that, please speak up.

otherwise, i make the motion that we set the date for october 18th. all in favor? opposed?

if anyone finds out that that date won't work for the showrooms, please report back here.

i like the idea of visiting pianocraft as i've heard good things about it, but have never been there. where is it?

i think if we just play one at a time, it shouldn't matter if we all go to the showroom at once. i'd hate to miss out hearing someone play because we were in two groups.

I'm willing to make my first choice The Beaux Arts Trio on Sat. the 18th. I can always see Alicia on my own if I so desire.

I second the motion. Also, I agree that it would be a shame not to hear someone because we split up the group.

I am willing to commit to Saturday, October 18th. While in my heart of hearts, I would most like to hear Alicia de Larrocha, I would also enjoy the Beaux Arts Trio. If the trio would be a better choice for the majority, count me in as favoring it.

I'll be at Klavierhaus on Saturday and will speak with them in person regarding a Piano Forum visit from 1PM - 2PM on 10/18. Will post back with their response on Monday.

I also vote for remaining together as one group. I think we are still a manageable size at this point.

i love how this is turning into a collective effort, with everyone making one sort of contribution or another.

might i suggest that if it turns out we have a majority for beaux arts trio, that alicia de larrocha is playing other (three?) nights that month, and possibly could still be heard by those who want to hear her? (of course, i'm sure that's not the only night the beaux arts trio is playing all year, either).

thanks everyone for handling the contacts at the showrooms. i'll be back in a week or so. i look forward to seeing how things have developed and possibly been finalized by then.

here's more excellent advice on approaching dealers from klavier bauer (copied from his posting in the piano forum). please check over there on occasion to see if any other dealers have contributed. the thread is called "to all dealers...." or something like that.

I'm down for a crawl and dinner, but i'm gonna have to pull out of the show

Sorry guys.

:p

Hi Guys,

I bought a piano from FH, and occasionally, I correspond with Sara. Let me know if I can be of any help. I think Sara is one of the best people I've ever had the pleasure to deal with.

How about an hour to protest in front of PianoPiano!

WE ARE CONFIRMED at Faust Harrison Pianos for October 18th at 3 PM. I just spoke to Michael Harrison and he is happy to accommodate us.

There is no concert that date at F/H. There is one the previous evening, Oct. 17 -- Chris Chalfont, jazz piano with quartet.

I just tried calling K-haus to see if they have any concerts on that weekend...left a message.

By the way, A&C Pianocraft is at 333 W. 52nd between 8th and 9th Aves. So, about six blocks toward downtown if you are at 8th Ave. and 58th. If there's interest, I'll call them.

Cheers,

WOO HOO! thank you, realplayer!!! that's terrific!

just taking a peek at how things are going. i'm experiencing some delays in getting out of town (always, the usual).

how about a revised schedule that would look like this:

1 pm klavier haus
2 pm beethoven's
3 pm faust-harrison
4:30 pm a &c pianocraft (sounds more interesting to me than steinway hall)

which leaves us in the heart of cheap, good, ethnic food country. we can all cram into an afghani restaurant for chicken tandoor, or head back up to 56th and 9th for the gentility of bella's (and a confirmed reservation to smooth our way).

then, a new idea, since it seems that several participants are passing on the concert....

are people interested in having a parallel option, of simply continuing on after dinner with drinks/coffee/dessert somewhere? is going to a concert a more or a less important part of the evening for people?

or are those who are passing on the concert doing so because they really need to make an early evening of it?

i'd encourage the development of a parallel, non-concert option, if there is interest.

'bye again. i doubt i'll be able to do any more checking in for a while.

I would be just as happy without the concert. It might, after all, cause us to feel rushed. Going on to coffee & dessert or drinks would be fine with me.

i'm going to have to turn off that "notify by email" function or i'll never get out of here!

however it comes out, count me in with the majority, bernard. if a substantial body of people would prefer to simply continue on without the pressure of having to make an 8 pm curtain (and possibly be able to spend time at more piano showrooms or more time at one), then i'll do that.

if most people really want to go see the beaux arts trio at 8 at the met museum, please, whoever annoints themselves the ticket buyer, get me a ticket.

thanks!

Hi, gang.

I just got in touch with Alex (Kostakis) at A&C PianoCraft, and he would be happy to have us over on October 18.

His normal Saturday hours are 8 to 2, but he is willing to work with us on a time. The 4:30 time suggested a few posts ago would be OK with him, but I do think something earlier would suit him a bit better.

Since we have Faust at 3 PM, what about earlier? Linda, did you get in touch with Klavierhaus? I don't know who's working on Beethoven's.

Once we know what we want to do, I'll call back A&C.

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Over on the Piano Forum, Pianoloverus mentioned Maximiliaan's for art-case pianos (Kl-haus usually has a few of those too, but Max. is exclusively art-case). My impression of the art-case pianos is, they're more fun to look at than to actually play. But if someone wants to go, it will probably be extra-curricular as it's not near Piano Row -- it's on Lexington and E. 32nd St. My suggestion is, anyone who really wants to do that should go there before we all meet on Piano Row.

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I'll be away for a few days. I have computer access, but I don't know whether I'll be permitted to log onto PianoWorld from a remote computer. Just letting you all know.

Realplayer,

Why don't we do A&C Pianocraft at 1 or 2, since both those slots are available, and he is open at those times?