Hair: Wild Cherries and Honeycomb

[prongated]

So this is that mystery piece posted in the following thread ^^ [well, sort of the piece anyway!]
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=35963.msg414712#msg414712
Recorded on a 2007 Kawai RX-3 if anyone's curious.

[retrouvailles]

Ah yes, the much awaited recording of this piece. It certainly was sort of how I expected, looking in the sheet music. It sort of fits into that sort of cosmopolitan vein of Australian composers that Michael Kieran Harvey likes to play, you know, that sort of Westlake, Vine, Ford, etc vein. I really enjoyed the piece, and it wasn't like another piece by Graham Hair I heard once, Under Aldebaran. Not a big fan of the sound of the piano, though. Otherwise, good job! You seem to have the piece well in your hands.

[furtwaengler]

Ah! Cool piece. Sometimes it seems the Kawai's repeated action is kicking your butt, but you really do bring some wonder and an array of colors out of it. My hat's off to you. I love listening to your playing. 

[prongated]

Oh haha, Under Aldebaran! Honestly the music for that one looks like Messiaen's Mode de Valeurs et d'Intensites to me...or one of Stockhausen's Klavierstucke. Well, glad you liked the piece ^^

The piano was in a church hall...it arrived late for the concert and so there was no opportunity to tune the piano at all...and the adjustable bench was left behind in a rush, so I had to make do with a short bench that's my excuse for not nailing the repeated notes anyway but yeah, if you get Kieran Harvey's recording, I'm sure it'll sound a thousand times better than this

[retrouvailles]

Well, Michael Kieran Harvey is a bit of a machine, and I sometimes like to hear humans play music, so I can't wait to hear an updated recording of this piece. I'll still be picking up Harvey's though, heh.

[rachfan]

Hi prongated,

Despite the frustrating logistical issues of the piano and bench confronting you, you nonetheless managed to produce a wonderful performance indeed.  Your playing was very artistic and refined.  You were able to draw more color, contrast, and nuance from that Kawai than I would have expected. Bravo!

 

[prongated]

Well, Michael Kieran Harvey is a bit of a machine, and I sometimes like to hear humans play music, so I can't wait to hear an updated recording of this piece. I'll still be picking up Harvey's though, heh.

Haha you know, I've never actually heard him play, but I've heard people say he is indeed a gun at the piano!

Hi prongated,

Despite the frustrating logistical issues of the piano and bench confronting you, you nonetheless managed to produce a wonderful performance indeed.  Your playing was very artistic and refined.  You were able to draw more color, contrast, and nuance from that Kawai than I would have expected. Bravo!

Oh thanks! You're too kind I think though but you really don't expect much variety of tone colour from Kawai pianos? Interesting, because I usually find them musically satisfying, being particularly sensitive to touch and for its singing tone. For me, it is the no-brainer choice over at least 99% Yamaha pianos out there!

[rachfan]

Hi prongated,

My guess is that Down Under the two major imported contenders have been Yamaha and Kawai (same for New Zealand I believe), although I don't know if the Chinese models have made much of a splash there yet.  I fully agree with you that given the choice, I too would prefer Kawai.  The Yamaha (despite its ultra-even action) is too bright a sound for me (and voicing doesn't last forever).  I perceive the bass as being woody, the tenor strident, and the treble sounds brittle.  I find it's almost like playing three different pianos with one keyboard!  Others will disagree.   My sense of Kawai RX is that it has, to my ear at least, more richness in the overtones, yet overall has more of a plain vanilla sound rather than a signature sound; however, where you probably play several different Kawai's there, you might find more tone differentiation among those pianos within that brand than I have in my limited exposure here. There have always been observations that Kawai's actions tend to be firmer too (I do like a firm keyboard response--better for control!).  The Shigeru Kawai is supposed to be in a class by itself, but I've never heard one played that I know of, so cannot opine of that model.  Before he died, I know that Earl Wild shifted from Baldwin to the Shigeru Kawai.  Have you played any of these?  

Probably we're all very influenced by the piano sound we grew up with.  Here the "American sound" has traditionally been NY Steinway, Baldwin, and Mason & Hamlin, all of which have their adherents.  I remember as a boy participating in countless student recitals, that you never had to guess much about the piano--it would invariably be a Steinway or Baldwin no matter the venue.  And in Europe, of course, it's a different story altogether even if you look no farther than Germany which hosts many brands.  I think as pianists we're very lucky to have so much variation in instruments.  It helps keep things all the more interesting.  

[prongated]

I agree with you regarding Kawai RXes having a "plain vanilla" sound actually...I still think there's quite a large degree to which you can play around with tone colour with Kawai RXes though! But for sure, it doesn't match the strong character tradition of that "American sound". I play regularly these days on a restored NY Steinway C which has that lush, gutsy bass sound - quite the musical instrument!

I used to play on a Shigeru regularly for my lessons back in Australia (nope, I don't study there anymore ). Yes, it's a class on its own when compared to its Japanese rivals - easy choice over the Yamaha S series, and cheaper too! No, I'd still pick a very good Steinway (NY or Hamburg) over a Shigeru. It is nonetheless impressive how much Kawai has progressed in piano making over the last 2 decades in particular!