Nice to see people reacting. What seems obvious to me, apparently is not to everyone. Was the first Steinway made after Chopin died - of course. Would Chopin like Steinway or not - that is not the point. The point is to understand that each composer has his own sound. A piano should not sound like a harpsichord if you play Bach, but imagining the sound of a harpsichord might give you some clues to find a specific sound for Bach. I think hearing the sound of the piano that Chopin wrote for and played on, can help with finding your “Chopin sound”. Afterwords go and play it on a Steinway, Fazioli or Bösendorfer. All can make a compelling performance, depending on the artist.
I was one of those curious little boys that encountered, and fell in love with, a “Square Grand” Piano. It was at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that this object of man made beauty of human creation resides. I was lucky to have been able to buy a refurbished Weber-Steinway Grand years ago . Steinway bought up Weber in order to acquire their artisans. Steinway kept the piano the same for a while until they phased out these ornate beauties that were too costly to make. The sound of these pianos were delicate because of the two strings per note. You are spot on Liszt liked the three strings per note juggernauts that we have today. Franz Liszt once said, “ With these ten fingers I can reproduce the sounds of a HUNDRED MEN”. Chopin liked the intimate sound - Stage Fright. Great video! Check out Liszt “William Tell Overture” if you don’t believe me.
Yep. It's not a matter of piano brand. Chopin was a true poet and certainly it did not like to be viewed like a "saltimbanco", a way Liszt described himself 🙂
I think you missed the point. It’s exactly because of that, that you have to imagine on what piano he did play it. Just like you would when playing Mozart
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Nice to see people reacting. What seems obvious to me, apparently is not to everyone. Was the first Steinway made after Chopin died - of course. Would Chopin like Steinway or not - that is not the point. The point is to understand that each composer has his own sound.
A piano should not sound like a harpsichord if you play Bach, but imagining the sound of a harpsichord might give you some clues to find a specific sound for Bach. I think hearing the sound of the piano that Chopin wrote for and played on, can help with finding your “Chopin sound”. Afterwords go and play it on a Steinway, Fazioli or Bösendorfer. All can make a compelling performance, depending on the artist.
Totally makes sense. That brighter tone brings out the character of Scherzo clearly!
I was one of those curious little boys that encountered, and fell in love with, a “Square Grand” Piano. It was at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that this object of man made beauty of human creation resides. I was lucky to have been able to buy a refurbished Weber-Steinway Grand years ago . Steinway bought up Weber in order to acquire their artisans. Steinway kept the piano the same for a while until they phased out these ornate beauties that were too costly to make. The sound of these pianos were delicate because of the two strings per note. You are spot on Liszt liked the three strings per note juggernauts that we have today. Franz Liszt once said, “ With these ten fingers I can reproduce the sounds of a HUNDRED MEN”. Chopin liked the intimate sound - Stage Fright.
Great video! Check out Liszt “William Tell Overture” if you don’t believe me.
Yep. It's not a matter of piano brand. Chopin was a true poet and certainly it did not like to be viewed like a "saltimbanco", a way Liszt described himself 🙂
Excellent observation.
Steinway was started 4 years after Chopin died.
Here is speaking truth to power (of heavy bass notes). Let's hear the follow up in a future lesson.
chopin died before steinway started making pianos, delete this
That was my first thought too
I think you missed the point. It’s exactly because of that, that you have to imagine on what piano he did play it. Just like you would when playing Mozart
Eloquently stated