Horowitz's Piano - I'm playing on it this Saturday!!

[violinist]

Hello,

Any info about playing on Horowitz's grand piano would be appreciated.

One of his pianos is going around the country and I have some time reserved to play on it this coming Saturday.  Any advice?  Anyone do this already?  And does anyone know about his other pianos?  I've heard that Lang Lang bought one of his pianos. 

Anything special I should look for or ask about?

[gfiore]

 I would'nt get too excited.  If it's #314503, it is not the same instrument as Horowitz would remeber it. The touchweight is no longer 46 grams.  It was taken back to the factory years ago before it started it's tour, and the hammers were changed as well as the touchweight. Franz Mohr told me the that Steinway management  wanted it to play and sound as representative of any other Steinway D being sold in the current market.
This was the instrument Steinway gave Horowitz as a wedding gift in the 1940's.
  Of the five Steinway concert grands Horowitz used througout his career CD186, CD223, CD75, and CD443. CD314503 was the only one that he owned. The others were alll C&A property. CD443, which he used during the last four years of his life at home is the piano Lang Lang purchased.

[thracozaag]

  I played one of his (the one he took to Russia) down in Boca Raton last year in a recital; the action has been completely changed, but it still had a glorious sound, very brilliant top.

koji

[gfiore]

 That one would be CD 314503.

[Axtremus]

gfiore,

Just curious... about CD 314503, I have never seen a C&A piano with a number that high. Those C&A pianos I've seen have 2 or 3 digit numbers. Do they revert to serial number (which would have 6 digits) after the pianos retire from their C&A fleet?

Thanks.

[gfiore]

 No that is the pianos serial number 314,503, Known as CD 503

[Axtremus]

gfior, thanks.

[thracozaag]

That one would be CD 314503.

  I'm trying to track down two pianos that William Kapell used to exclusively play; if I gave you the serial numbers would you might know where they are?

koji

[gfiore]

  Sorry I can't. I don't have ESP. A serial number can tell you when a piano was made, what finish, and with some manufacturers, what dealer it was shipped to. It can't however, tell you who owned what piano and when.

[violinist]

I would'nt get too excited.  If it's #314503, it is not the same instrument as Horowitz would remeber it. The touchweight is no longer 46 grams.  It was taken back to the factory years ago before it started it's tour,

It is CD 503.  Thanks THANKS thanks so much for the information.   especially about the touch weight.

[violinist]

  I played one of his (the one he took to Russia) down in Boca Raton last year in a recital; the action has been completely changed, but it still had a glorious sound, very brilliant top.

koji

Yeah... the flyer said that they took this one to Russia.  Wow.  I can say that I played on the same piano that Kojii did!  Now I'm getting even more excited.  I'll be playing it in Walnut Creek, California.

[thracozaag]

  Enjoy; play some Scriabin on it!

koji

[Axtremus]

Enjoy; play some Scriabin on it!

Oooh yeah! I so love the recording of the Scriabin etudes in Horowitz's Moscow concert.

[iumonito]

I would'nt get too excited.  If it's #314503, it is not the same instrument as Horowitz would remeber it. The touchweight is no longer 46 grams.  It was taken back to the factory years ago before it started it's tour, and the hammers were changed as well as the touchweight. Franz Mohr told me the that Steinway management  wanted it to play and sound as representative of any other Steinway D being sold in the current market.
This was the instrument Steinway gave Horowitz as a wedding gift in the 1940's.
  Of the five Steinway concert grands Horowitz used througout his career CD186, CD223, CD75, and CD443. CD314503 was the only one that he owned. The others were alll C&A property. CD443, which he used during the last four years of his life at home is the piano Lang Lang purchased.

What a crime.

[Axtremus]

What a crime.

Indeed!

How dare Horowitz deviated from Steinway's factory standard to begin with!

[violinist]

There's all these signatures on the bottom of the piano.  I saw them!  Looked like Graffiti.

I wonder if they would let me write on the piano!

[classicarts]

WHAT A JUNK!! I WOULDNT PAY A DIME FOR IT.

[classicarts]

I suggest all of you to get your heads out of eachother's SMELLING BUTTS!! 

[allthumbs]

I suggest all of you to get your heads out of eachother's SMELLING BUTTS!! 

Is this type of comment really necessary classicarts?

[pianorama]

I played Horowitz's piano on Dec. 5! I went to a concert with Robert Silverman, and he was playing 3 famous Steinway pianos.(at seperate times, of course : He was playing Horowitz's piano, Van Cliburn's piano, and a funky blue art deco piano honoring George Gershwin, and after the concert I got to play them all! And best of all, I got the tickets FREE from Tom Lee Music!

[princessdecadence]

There's all these signatures on the bottom of the piano.  I saw them!  Looked like Graffiti.

I wonder if they would let me write on the piano!

Er...I don't think so Violinist, they might put you to wallawalla sing sing for that.