Writing on piano

[Tony Hardie-Bick]

Peter Korsten wrote:
> Tony Hardie-Bick schreef:
> 
>> Played a Yamaha grand in a showroom on Saturday. It's not an experience I can 
>> describe.
> 
> It's not very easy to describe, although I tried earlier this week. It's 
> just a stunningly beautiful instrument.

In the last few months have played a 100K Steinway, and a 25K Blüthner. Knocked 
out by the Steinway, the detail is... unbelievable. And you know what you're 
hearing was actually, in some sense, designed. Jaw-dropping. But, it is 
strangely, austere. The Blüthner is an emotional instrument, makes a person make 
music, insecapably, but... at low intensities the sound is a bit muffled. On all 
of them. The design is mind-numbingly subtle. An extra fourth string on the 
upper notes is not hit directly by the hammer, but is there for resonance, along 
with the aliquot portion of the strings past the bridge... Strangely, the Yamaha 
took me totally by surprise. And I can't really say, except, it has the best of 
many worlds, but doesn't really make you make the music, and yet... it was the 
most polite, and inviting you to find the music you forgot you had.

Nevertheless, all instruments are divine.

Tony (HB)