Using an Upright in Concert

[phil13]

In a few months' time, I will be playing a work which I composed in a concert with my former high school orchestra. The first problem that I noticed is that the auditorium which we will give the concert in has absolutely no way to get a grand piano in. Thus, I will have to settle for an upright.

Has anybody else been in a position like this, where they had to play with an orchestra on an upright? Does anyone have any tips on how to produce better sound out of an upright? I have heard that removing the top and exposing the strings is useful. Is this true?

Any thoughts and helpful replies are welcomed.

Phil

[bench warmer]

You'll certainly be able to project more volume with the lid up since the sound energy isn't all being attenuated by being absorbed into the piano chasis' wood. If you can reflect the sound into the audience you have a good chance of actually being heard with the orchestra.

Go into the auditorium and try it with someone listening in the back of the room to get an idea of the difference.

Good luck
 

[Bob]

You can also take the front and bottom off uprights.  Makes it look very different, but the sound gets out more.  Some of them have that little prop leg to open the lid like a grand piano (very amusing).  I would open the top at least.  Maybe the bottom.  Taking the front off might help, but it looks odd.

[invictious]

Yea, try and remove most of the lids. So you can see through the mechanist from the top, from the front, and from the bottom.
It helps ALOT.

You have use a bit more force to play louder.
and it's mostly in your mind. Imagine your fingers projecting the voice, using the whole resonance of the piano and your fingers and body too, and the stage floor etc.

[tds]

In a few months' time, I will be playing a work which I composed in a concert with my former high school orchestra. The first problem that I noticed is that the auditorium which we will give the concert in has absolutely no way to get a grand piano in. Thus, I will have to settle for an upright.

Has anybody else been in a position like this, where they had to play with an orchestra on an upright? Does anyone have any tips on how to produce better sound out of an upright? I have heard that removing the top and exposing the strings is useful. Is this true?

Any thoughts and helpful replies are welcomed.

Phil

is it a work for piano and orchestra, like a piano concerto? or an orchestral work employing an additional piano, which is commonly placed at the back or on the side of the stage?

how big is the hall?

how big is the orchestra?

ever think of using loud speakers?

tds

[phil13]

Thanks for the replies, all of you.  I appreciate it.

is it a work for piano and orchestra, like a piano concerto? or an orchestral work employing an additional piano, which is commonly placed at the back or on the side of the stage?

The former. It spotlights the piano, so I have to be heard over the orchestra most of the time.

how big is the hall?

I'm not sure- it probably holds 600-700 people.

how big is the orchestra?

probably about 60 strong- maybe a bit less, about 35 of them string players.

ever think of using loud speakers?
tds

No, but I'll see if that would be beneficiary.

Phil

[pianistimo]

if this is an april fools joke - it's very good.  i mean - most auditoriums have double doors at the back with plenty of room to get a piano in.  i'd say that if they are going to all the trouble to have an entire orchestra - somebody should rent a grand for the couple of hours. 

[tds]

true. if i am not mistaken, all grands can pass regular doors.  in fact it can go to a toilet room if room is big enough.

[Bob]

I would imagine the upright would be positioned nearly like a grand.  Probably angled so the back is facing a little in towards the ensemble though.  Doesn't most of the sound from an upright go out the back?  Assuming the lid is closed nothing is taken off the front. 

French horns sometimes use plexiglass "walls" that bounce the sound back to the audience.  Maybe something like that would work, although it would be odd looking.

It depends on the hall too.  Maybe there's a way to use the hall itself if the walls are positioned right.


The ensemble can always play softer.  And composers understand the instruments.  I had wondered how a piano could play over an entire orchestra in a concerto, but then I saw composers weren't always pitting the whole orchestra against the piano, and the piano might be in one range while other instruments play in a different range.  And then I have heard some recordings where the whole orchestra is playing and the piano is fff with the melody, and the piano gets drowned out.