transposing piano

[pianistimo]

maybe others have heard of this piano - but this was a new one for me.
www.concertpitchpiano.com/TinPanAlley.html

i think the keyboard moves up and down.

[quantum]

I didn't know such a thing existed.  Thanks for informing us.

[pianistimo]

you're welcome.  now i don't feel so bad about not automatically transposing -since gershwin couldn't either.  i can do it if it's 1/2 step or so...but i find it really difficult to just transpose unless the chords symbols are written out.

[BoliverAllmon]

who says Gershwin couldnt either? I heard he could extremely well.

[arensky]

Pianistimo is probably thinking of Irving Berlin, who could only play in C (or was it F#) and had some sort of mechanical transposer and a musical secretary to write his songs down, he did not read music well if at all. OTH Gershwin got his start in music as a song plugger, playing sheet music in stores on demand for customers who might want to buy the song. Berlin was on the other side of performing, he was a singing waiter before becoming a succesful songwriter.

[BoliverAllmon]

Pianistimo is probably thinking of Irving Berlin, who could only play in C (or was it F#) and had some sort of mechanical transposer and a musical secretary to write his songs down, he did not read music well if at all. OTH Gershwin got his start in music as a song plugger, playing sheet music in stores on demand for customers who might want to buy the song. Berlin was on the other side of performing, he was a singing waiter before becoming a succesful songwriter.

that sounds more like it.

[pianistimo]

oops.  yes.  my mistake.

[rich_galassini]

Now the trivia question:

Irving Berlin owned several transposing pianos and even gave them as gifts to close friends. They were built by one manufacturer. Who built Irving Berlin's transposing pianos?

Rich Galassini
Cunningham Piano Co.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215 991-0834

[pianistimo]

weser and bros.?  (read my own thread for once).

say, is that $500. off for guessing the history trivia going on for a month or so?  everyone - you must go to cunningham pianos and take a guess on the date that 5-6 things happened in american history.  then - buy a nice grand piano for $500. off.

unfortunately i missed by 9 years.  (should have bargained for at least $200. off)  if rich doesn't convince you to buy a piano, he'll try to convince you that he's andre watts (pointing to a picture on the wall that is too small to see from your side).

[rich_galassini]

No, I was the ugly pale fellow NEXT to Andre Watts. 

It was good to see you guys again.

By the way, the correct answer is Sohmer.

[pianistimo]

pale, yes.  ugly, no.  it's just when you were saying and here's a 'pic of andre watts,' you made me laugh because you accidentally pointed to yourself.  ps i think i want a pic of him, too.  i'll put it beside lance armstrong.  there's something enduring about him!  was listening to a sports commentator last night - and they were saying something about michelle kwan, even though she doesn't get the gold - the silver has done her a great deal of good. whereas tara lipinsky (the flea sized skater than won over everyone at 15 yrs. or so) is now getting into acting.  so, i take it, the winners stick to what they do forever - and the ones that win everything sometimes don't have a long lasting career.  michelle kwan, whatever she does, will be remembered for great skating - just as andre watts for great performing.