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The Haydn E-flat Hob XVI:49

Hope you enjoy. Haydn is a favourite composer of mine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL6BFOpMf-c

Very nice!

Thank you Cinnamonbear.

Incidentally that is the sound of the 1910 Bluthner 9' grand in original condition, original board, plank, action, hammer heads etc. Amazing, isn't it when you think about it?

Pretty much all I can say about that is:

WOW.

Those who have ears to hear... let them hear! (I would think there are more than a few on these forums who could/would hawk down on the implications of that.)

I will listen a third time, even more closely now! Just the thought of what I will hear upon another listening makes me think, "Wow!"

Joe--How recently regulated and voiced at the time of this recording?

That piano has pretty much never been regulated and voiced for the past 10 years, it's just a lucky piano. The old Bluthners have very soft hammer felts anyway so it doesn't go quite as uneven as some other makes do. It's also not played all that much, it's used for some concert work and it's used in church services, but nobody practises on it.

Personally I would have the action overhauled to make it a little easier to control, I might have new hammers put on or I might have the originals re-covered, depending on what would maintain the character of the instrument more. I'm not sure if the soundboard should be replaced because it has good tone already.

In fact first of all I would like to try it with a full regulation and voicing.

Anyway it isn't my piano so I can't do any of these things!

I can't believe how clean the sound is. It's over 100-years old and it still sings so clearly!

Great playing.

Thanks! In many ways I prefer the pre-WW1 Bluthners to the new ones. The new ones are beautiful but the old ones really glow.

They rebuild incredibly well. Generally they keep their tone for a very very long time even when not rebuilt. The rebuilt ones have the glow, but have the advantage of a more precise touch (of course), a wider tonal palette, and a more full-bodied tone. Sometimes I wonder just how much is necessary though, I mean, if the piano sounds good there's probably not much point in doing too much to it.

This particular piano IS suffering a bit in the treble these days, it lacks projection in that area, but I would find it very hard to say for sure which particular component is causing that. I mean, it's an old piano right?!