Bach Prelude in C Major WTC I on Bechstein No. 5796

[iumonito]

You know how you take before and after pictures?

This is the "before" for my new Bechstein.  New to me.  The piano is from the 1870s.

It is set to arrive next Friday.  After it settles and gets tunned I'll post an "after" recording of the same piece on this same thread.  I have no plans to do a full rebuild at this time, but my heroes at Pianocraft are fixing it up a little bit for me anyway.  This is why I like them so much and will never buy a piano from anyone else: they just can't let a bad piano leave their shop.

Enjoy.

[pianistimo]

very nice.  despite it's age - this bechstein doesn't have a bad sound.  you can tell the middle section has been 'worked' on it - but that's ok.  you can always get the hammers refelted.  the only thing is that fixing the action will prove a bit harder.

but, you know what - perfection and sound isn't always a 'new piano' thing.  imperfection sometimes gives a certain elegance.  as if one is going back in time to salon playing.

say, do you think another way to interpret the prelude in C major - would be to have the second of each 'pattern' a sort of 'echo?'  maybe played slightly slower.  or am i copying something pogorelich has done and my subconscious is remembering?

[iumonito]

I am all for refelting the hammers, but these still have some life in them.  They just need voicing.  One thing about refelting is that it changes the weight of each hammer, which in turn requires adjustment of the other weights and resistances in the action to obtain a smooth front weight to touch weight ratio up and down the keyboard (I always get all those concepts confused, but when it is done right there is consistent (and very little) inertia in the keys and the overall action feels quite even).

I like light actions.  I feel one can play pianissimo faster and I don't have a problem with the singing tone being something you can achieve at mezzoforte instead of forte (which I feel is the case with Steinway, hence my prejudice that they are a little monochromatic).

As for the prelude, that idea sounds kitsch to me, but that's the beauty of art: if you like it and truly believe it, then it is right (and there are infinite ways of playing it right).

Cheers!

[iumonito]

Here is the after.  This is the piano at home after Sam and his crew gave it a little love.  This is not a rebuilt, so there will not be as dramatic contrast, but I can tell the difference and am grateful.

What do you think?

I should add, the equipment, piano, performer and mic position are the same in both recordings.  The room in recording one is much larger than in recording two, but the mics are close enough to the piano that I would think that should not make a material difference.  To my ears at the keyboard both recording are fairly accurate of how the piano sounded at the time, including volume.