THE STORY OF THE PIANO

Modern grand action: 1: At rest

2: Hammer strikes string

3: Hammer in check

A modern grand piano action is shown in this

The jack continues ro move upwards unril its roe

Wirh the key still held, the hammer bounces off

sequence, featuring Sreinway's Accelerated

encounters the see-off burton. The jack flicks off

rhe string and is grabbed by the check. The

Anion. As che key is pressed, rhe caps ran screw

the railer, leaving rbe ham met moving in free

process of the downward movement of rhe

rises, causing the jack to push up on the roller

flight cowards the string. Meanwhile the damper

hammer has caused the repetition lever co

through a slor in the repetitive lever.

has been lifted off the suing by rhe damper wire.

compress rhe repetition spring.

THE MODERN GRAND

The

Steinway

Model

D concert

grand

piano (shown here) is the instrument

by

most

performance

modern

concert

purposes.

in 1857, although

only after another

developed

f)

"
e

Sreinway

unique

technique

the entire

to the instrument's

between
countries,

since some raw materials

the

instruments

have a different

normal for pianos of this calibre to be adjusted

(USA),

to the individual

4D

period
16 moulded toe
171eg
18 leg cap
19 bent side
20 heel
21 rim or case
22 short stick
23 prop stick
24 front half, front top
2S top hinge
26 music rest
27 music desk
28 straight side
29 action
30 action standardl
hanger

(the

introverted
brighten

with

that

about

150

(Germany)

and

slight

differences

originating

in

the

two

source. At the same time, it is

player, in order

of the action are optimally

suited

user's musical preferences and way of playing.

Some players

Key

from

unique sound.

produced

to suit the individual

to ensure that both the tone and the responsiveness

rim

for

of wood - a feature

traditionally

York

it was

ten years that Sreinway

Model Ds each year in Hamburg

New

1 balance weights/key
leads
2 keys
3 front baize/key bottom
4 front rail
S balance rail
6 balance pin
7 back rail
8 cheek
9 lyre post
10 una corda pedal
11 sostenuto pedal
12 damper pedal
13 lyre
14 lyre brace
1S castor

piece

contributes

G
6)0

its

manufacturing
single

for

The first version of this

model appeared
~

used

pianists

like to express a preference

1920s

and

1930s),

which

for Steinways

made in the inter-war

are felt to have a slightly

darker,

more

expressive tonal character. This may well be a reaction to the tendency to

the tone of modern

the preferences

whose expectations
This characteristic
other respects,
now started

grand pianos generally,

of the recording

industry

are often influenced

is most ptonounced

concert-going

by what they hear on modern

public

recordings.

in Far Eastern pianos (eg, Yamaha, Kawai). In

however, such as the responsiveness

to rival the subtlety

to bring them into line with

and of a modern

that

of the piano action,

was once the sole province

these have

of the great

European firms.
Tonal purists

may even go Out of their way to obtain one of old 'patent

Bli.ithner grands - instruments

known for their exceptionally

tone - possibly with a view to having it reconditioned.

time

when

considered
beauty

above

instrument,

20

the manufacturer
inadequate
all else,

was using

and rather
or who

make

However,

only

this can represent an interesting

modest

choice.

action'

and beauty of

These pianos were built at a

a more primitive

unreliable.

subtlety

type of action,

now

for those who value tonal

technical

demands

of the