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Was just watching DVD video about history of Steinway pianos and moderator made mention about Horowitz having an 12' (12 foot) grand piano.

I recall in past when after his death Steinway toured his personal concert grand he used and I had a chance to play on it. But don't remember it being 12 feet long?

it wasn't - was a regular model D - though with a tweaked action - very light - took a while to get used to - not a piano I'd like to play.

You are right about touch being very light. The treble sound was unmistakeable per his recordings (sounded like breaking glass).

So this was not a "standard" D and it was therefore 12 feet? I guess he could command such special consideration.

I just played it down in Boca Raton, but the action and hammers have been completely re-worked. It was actually a semi-heavy action and much mellower than I expected. Still a supremely gorgeous instrument, though.

koji (STSD)

What about that model D of 1918 purchased by Lang Lang? That's a different piano Horowitz once owned, I presume?

Yes, that's different one. From the attached program from my concert:

"Unlike the vast majority of today's pianists, Vladimir Horowitz used a select few instruments during his entire American concert career. Each instrument a pianist used during their tour was prepared especially for the performer, and to many became an extension of the pianist as a person. Part of the Steinway piano tour, the Horowitz concert piano currently on display in Boca Raton was used by Horowitz as early as during his performances with conductor Arturo Toscanini (his father-in-law) and the NBC Symphony, and as late as Horowitz's legendary performance in Moscow in 1986. For more information on this unique instrument, please visit Steinway & Sons at www.steinway.com."

koji (STSD)

Agree koji -- I played it here on Long Island and loved the sound, although the action was much too light for me.

In fact after playing this piano, I was convinced to trade up from an A to a B.

...and it as are regular D in size.

Ed

Unfortunately, Steinway just took the old action out of Horowitz' personal D and threw it away. Kind of suspicious. I think they don't want people to know how different his preferred action was from mainstream. Also I went to a lecture of the Steinway company historian a few months ago, and he said (incorrectly I believe) that Horowitz helped in the design of Steinway's "accelerated action." So the piano they are trotting around the country with Fritz Mohr in tow, is just part of Steinway's marketing, and is historically incorrect

pete,

I thought that Josef Hofman helped develop the accelerated action--and the telescoping shock absorber.

pete and MarkS, the Steinway literature mentions both Horowitz and Hofmann were involved. Hofmann apparently was also a tinkerer and designed a number of items, maybe in the shock absorber for cars (?).

Ed