25 years looking for the Bechstein

[iumonito]

In 1982, a 12-year old boy discovered, in glorious 4 minutes over public radio is a South American country, Godowsky, Jorge Bolet and Bechstein pianos.

The love for Godowsky has resulted in years of discovery, the love for Bolet in a bunch of discs and several years of piano study with one of Bolet's favorite students.  The love for Bechstein pianos resulted in a fortunate fetish playing the entirety of my career as a pianist (pretty much) on a single Bechstein full grand at Teatro Teresa Carreno.  It also resulted in a somewhat too involved hunt for the perfect Bechstein to rebuild.

The candidate had to have suficient size (Models C, or III were always what I was looking for), the right year (pre-1920), no broken plate, and "it."  Look and look I did.  25 years.  I had a season when the UK guy that used to hunt old Bechsteins to sell them relatively unexpensively was my most visited webpage.  www.luxurypianos.com also had its turn.

Well, I think The Piano has found me.  I will be going to see what I believe is a 1900s model II Bechstein grand this week before I go on vacation.

Wish me luck.   

[thalberg]

Good luck.  I really hope it's the piano of your dreams. 

[iumonito]

Met the piano this morning.  Model III, 85 keys, straight-strung.  Serial around 5467.  It is truly a historical instrument and I love the sound.  So clear.  Beethoven and Liszt sounded really well.  Schumann as if it was Clara's Grotrian.  Debussy was revelatory.

I am getting it.

Please understand, though, this is a fortepiano.

I'll post recordings after it arrives home and gets tuned.  No plans to rebuild at the moment.

[richard black]

Please understand, though, this is a fortepiano.

Not by most people's understanding of the term! Fortepianos disappeared around 1820 and Bechstein didn't start until the 1850s.

[iumonito]

Well, sure, it is not like Mozart and Beethoven pianos, but it is decidedly not like a modern instrument either.

I think the single stringing, and probably the lower tension of the scale result in a sound that is both smaller and clearer than in a modern instrument of the same size.  The action is lighter, making it easier to play fast.  The repetition is just fine, so I think this instrument has double escapement, although I am not sure yet.

Here are some pictures of a similar instrument.  I'll post mine when I come back from vacation:

[iumonito]

The piano came in today.  It is phenomenal.  I played a bit this morning before going to work and was very very very pleased.  It is much quieter (and lower, go figure, it has short legs) than my other piano, even though it is a few inches longer (The Irmler is around 7'6", this Bechstein is about 7'8" or 10").  But it is exquisite.

I'll post some more recordings tonight and pictures when I get back my digital camera.

Thank you Keith, Shaun and Sam!!!!!!

[jabbz]

I have to say, it is glorious!

[iumonito]

Here are some more recordings:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,26179.0.html

[grandpianoguy]

A few years back I came very close to purchasing a lovely Bechstein model C that had been made in 1982, the same year you discovered Bechsteins.  I ended up buying a Hamburg Steinway (also a model C) instead, but must say I've always regretted not buying the Bechstein as well. (The price was absurdly low, especially compared to the Steinway.)   Hope you will enjoy your Bechstein for many years.