Challen, 11' 8" grand piano! Chopin, Smetana and Chaminade (extracts) played by Julian Hellaby
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- Опубликовано: 17 окт 2024
- The Harringay (London)-based Challen company built what was then the world's largest grand piano - 11' 8" long - in 1935 to commemorate the silver jubilee of King George V, hence its silver colour. Its replica (filmed here) was constructed in 1939. Piano number 1 seems, amazingly, to have been lost without trace but piano number 2, after a rather checkered history, was recently discovered in France by Andrew Giller who brought it back to his workshop in Norfolk and did a magnificent restoration job on it as you can see and hear in this video. It was a pleasure and a privilege to be the first person to record some solos on this unique instrument! My sincere thanks to Andrew for his generosity.
(It is no longer the world's largest grand piano.)
This exact piano lived at Gwrych castle, North Wales between 1969-1980
I think I’ve seen a photo of it in situ there.
Yes, same piano and we have the period of summer 1968 to early 1979 when a Manchester antiques dealer acquired it for £250!
I used to wonder what hapened to this piano, I'm thrilled that it has survived and that it has been restored to live on!
So am I. Maybe one day I'll be able to play your 18-footer!
And if I get traveling you will be high on my list to visit!
@@TheAlexanderpiano You’d be most welcome!
Magnifico.
I listened to this again last night, but this time on a decent pair of headphones.
Very interesting to compare the recordings.
On the Zoom I was quite disappointed with the piano. It didn't have the depth I expected from such a behemoth, and melodic phrases lacked sustain - as they often do on baby grands.
But the iPad recording was an absolute revelation- the deep bass suddenly made its mark, melodic lines had much more sustain and the treble was brighter and clearer. It almost sounded like a different instrument.
As I wasn't there to hear it live I have no idea which recording actually gave the truest recording 🤔, but it certainly was very interesting comparing them.
Thanks for taking so much interest. I think the iPad sound is a little more faithful, but as neither is a hi-tech recording, the reality is not fully caught by either. I would describe the tone as clear and clean, and Andrew has blended the registers very well.
This is the piano you were talking about! A little bit boxy sound maybe? Enjoyable pieces you played, especially Chaminade sounded lovely to me!
Glad you enjoyed the Chaminade! To me the sound is clean and clear rather than rich, though the bass has great resonance. Andrew has managed to make the registers blend very well.
Are there the biggest pianist in Coventry playing
on the world's largest grand piano? - Wanna hear them both! Lol
The last Smetana extract, well done Julian, thanks!
I need to grow a bit more to be the biggest pianist in Coventry! 🙂
I am very curious about this and how you manage. Not bad
the smallest pianist from your city. That would be very funny.
But dont follow my suggestion...for godness sake! Lol.
You are in danger to get smaller fingers than daniel
barenboim. 😩
@@berlinzerberus :-))
OMG, what is this!? I've never known this before! I have many questions. How many people do you need to move this giant? Can you open the lid without assistant? Is the frame made of wood? Does it feel like very different or the same as normall sized pianos? What is now the world's biggest piano then? When is your CD "Challen challenge" going to be out for sale?
Your outfit is matching with the piano colour! Lovely playing, too!
I'll do my best! Moving it is problematic, although I understand that humans and trolleys still do the job. I couldn't raise the lid unaided. The frame is a single metal one and the exterior is wood. It doesn't feel that different to play from, say, a Steinway D. It's 'medium heavy' in feel. If you search 'world's largest piano' on Google or RUclips you'll find a few candidates. There was an 18-footer built by a teenage New Zealander, but that's now not the biggest! As for the CD, hm ... :-)
'Challenge'... perhaps the piano has been shortened by two letters?
The sound doesn't sustain particularly well and it's a bit thin at times in the bass especially, but I wonder if that's the acoustic/recording/RUclips? The playing certainly comes across strongly in spite of that.
@@itchy2learn Thanks - the first two extracts were recorded on my Zoom camcorder, the last one on my iPad (providing a slightly brighter sound). I didn't hear any problems with the sustaining of the sound when I listened to Andrew Giller playing the piano, although the tone definitely has its own character.
@@paulprocopolis maybe the sound isn't representative - well, it's bound not to be, I suppose - but l felt the playing had a spontaneity (or 'liveness') which is harder to achieve when recording more formally. The supports almost look like miniature houses with windows, don't they?
Yes, they do! The playing was pretty much spontaneous - I didn't really go along with anything 'prepared'!
Big but a long way from the best, Fazioli Bosendorfer Steinway Bechstein and latest Kawai much better