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From: jona@clyde.UUCP (Jon Allingham)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: Extra Keys?
Message-ID: <781@clyde.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 4-Feb-85 09:53:46 EST
Article-I.D.: clyde.781
Posted: Mon Feb  4 09:53:46 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 5-Feb-85 04:21:56 EST
References: <792@noscvax.UUCP> <82@vice.UUCP>
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Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Whippany NJ
Lines: 46

> 
> Sorry, but there ARE extra keys on the bass end of the Imperial.  I've
> played one at our local dealer.  WOW.  I've been told that the extra
> half-octave is there for increased depth in the bass.  Notes in the
> higher octaves induce
> sympathetic vibrations in the extra bass strings.  As far as I'm 
> concerned, those extra strings are not playable directly for anything
> musical, giving off a (seemingly) tremoloed low rumble with a very sharp,
> irritating initial thwack from the hammer strike.  But, boy, what they do
> to the bass and mid-bass!
> Glorious!
> 
> Interesting aside - someone commented to me that Bosendorfers are not
> often found on the concert stage since they do not project well.  Thus,
> they are found more in the recording studio and small chambers where
> the microphones
> and more intimately positioned audience can pick up all that beautiful
> articulation.
> 

Just a few comments, 
1) A Boesendorfer Imperial has almost a full octave more than the
average grand, it either goes all the way to the a or just to the c,
I don't remember for sure.

2) They ARE playable, I've heard Tschaikowksky's 1st piano Concerto
played on one where the octave passages in the base are played as
ocataves with both hands in the places it has to be played as a 
single note in the left hand on normal piano's. It is awesome.

3) They are a lot more common in Europe Concert Halls than in American, 
that's understandable; they cost a fortune to import and Steinway has
a lot of the American market. I think that the Minnesota orchestra
uses one a lot, but I don't remember for sure. I know one of the well
known American Orchestra Houses does.

4) When I played on one several times in Europe ( at the Music/Musical
Instrument Fair held every year in Frankfort, West Germany ) and had
the opportunity to compare Boesendorfer, both Steinways, Petrof (excellent,
but not well known ), Yamaha, and most any other Grand you can name, 
the Boesendorfer was by far the best, and most popular there.

-- 
Jon M. Allingham	(201)386-3466	AT&T Bell Laboratories-WH

"Beam me up Scotty, no intelligent life down here!"