Contemporary instruments in classical music, your opinions?

[oscarr111111]

Do you feel that classical music should only be played on 'classical' instruments or do you think that every instrument in existence should be considered equally, simply in terms of what sound the composer wants and what sound the said instrument makes?

I feel that obviously 'accurate' renditions of older pieces should be played on the instruments of their time, but I feel that any instrument should be considered 'fair game' for modern music, or modernized arrangements of older pieces.  I would personally love to see electromechanical or analog instruments in more classical music, though I'm not really a fan of the entirely artificial nature of purely digital ones.

[opus10no2]

I'm open to anything and everything, I think it's great.

Timbre is simply a matter of presentation, it doesn't define a piece of music.

[pianistimo]

if termites haven't gotten to them, the age of the strings and the mechanical parts are probably seriously deteriorated.  do you want to play an instrument like this?  do you want to take chances every time you sit down that you might just fall through the bench at any moment.  why not just do it in with a sledge hammer first?  i say -take the new piano and be done with it.

clavichord - smavichord - they can't make any sound at all.  square pianos are ugly.  and, the legs on some are so wobbly.  i hate playing a piano that wobbles.  ok, i would play one only if i had a powdered wig and a corseted dress.  these pianos were made so you could play them without breathing.

[oscarr111111]

if termites haven't gotten to them, the age of the strings and the mechanical parts are probably seriously deteriorated.  do you want to play an instrument like this?  do you want to take chances every time you sit down that you might just fall through the bench at any moment.  why not just do it in with a sledge hammer first?  i say -take the new piano and be done with it.

clavichord - smavichord - they can't make any sound at all.  square pianos are ugly.

Misunderstanding, I don't mean old and new pianos, by 'instruments of their time' I just mean the types of instrument that the pieces were originally written for.  A modern arrangement of these pieces could be written for whatever instrument the arranger felt like however.

By contemporary instruments I mean any instrument developed in modern or relatively modern times really, electromechanical pianos, guitars and basses, synthesizers etc. Anything.

[pianistimo]

ok.  well.  i suppose i could make do with a brand new christofori piano for a day or so.  after that - i would beat it.

[oscarr111111]

ok.  well.  i suppose i could make do with a brand new christofori piano for a day or so.  after that - i would beat it.

Explain the point you hoped to convey with this post please.

[oscarr111111]

Throwing in that I think the Steel drum is a very underused instrument with an amazingly rich and unique sound.

[pianistimo]

oscar, i get the feeling that perhaps you know more about period instruments than i do.  after visiting the museum of art in nyc - i'd seen enough.  can't touch this.  can't touch that.  if you can't play them - what do you really know about them?  i might be more inclined to be pleasantly surprised if i could touch one.  one of the harpsichords or clavichords had something of a premonitive omen, though - because it had little places for you to put your fingers under the keys (in case they get stuck)?

i've played a harpsichord twice in my life.  they have an interesting sound.  tinny.

steinway hall made me stand up and take notice.  it's not just the action alone.  the sturdiness of the piano is important, too.

tell me more about these steel drums.  they sound interesting. 

[oscarr111111]

oscar, i get the feeling that perhaps you know more about period instruments than i do.  after visiting the museum of art in nyc - i'd seen enough.  can't touch this.  can't touch that.  if you can't play them - what do you really know about them?  i might be more inclined to be pleasantly surprised if i could touch one.  one of the harpsichords or clavichords had something of a premonitive omen, though - because it had little places for you to put your fingers under the keys (in case they get stuck)?

i've played a harpsichord twice in my life.  they have an interesting sound.  tinny.

steinway hall made me stand up and take notice.  it's not just the action alone.  the sturdiness of the piano is important, too.

tell me more about these steel drums.  they sound interesting. 

I'm not talking about period instruments at all
I've never even touched one.

In terms of steel drums, check out this Jaco song, Its not exactly classical music but there is a good steel drum player (and probally the best electric bassist who ever lived )

Theres a steel drum solo starting at around 4:50.