Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum A little teaser for all you PW'ers - which factory made this concert grand..?

Thanks for the fun exercise. Just when I think I have seen it all!

Neat. I was kind of beginning to suspect that this one came "from Russia with love". It doesn't look half bad, but the obviously poor bridge notching makes one wonder where else corners were cut...

Still, it's an interesting piece that is likely at least a little better than Soviet era PSO's .

I wonder who will buy it, if anyone will ever buy it.

What's wrong with the key reflection on the fall board?

I'm not sure whether I hope that it's a finish or a key placement flaw - I think it's finish..erm..dynamics

While I'm at it , does anyone else see the *waves* in the rim?

It is a reflection of the camera tripod, is it not?

My thoughts exactly - even though the obscure piano fanatic inside of me has thought of combining this interest with my utter love for Berlin with its cheap flat prices and putting this monster into a kitsch Berlin flat - in effect creating a Berlin holiday resort-cum-concert grand recital hall - luckily, sheer economics will probably put an end to such shenanigans - unless some of my crazy music/Berlin interested friends can be coaxed into it

What I have been wondering, however, is - how do two 8-year-old Russian concert grands end up in a Frankfurt piano store? - the only source I can think of would be some Russian institution in Germany - perhaps a Russian consulate in Frankfurt..?

Ooh that - I would definitely deem that a camera tripod as well..

Look closely at the angle of reflection of the keys.

I think it was supposed to be MOCKBAD on the fallboard.

Not bad, not bad at all

Hi again my fellow PWers - I was thinking that we should learn a bit more about this Russian oddity.. - so I wrote an e-mail to the Lira factory in Moscow with the following message:

"Dear Sir(s)/Madam

My name is Rasmus Nielsen. With interest, I have seen one of your fine Moscow concert grand pianos (a used example from the year 2000) for sale in Germany. Therefore, I would be interested to learn a bit more about your concert grands. I know that Lira was founded in 1935 and that you started producing pianos in 1956. When, however, did you start producing your grand pianos and what can you tell me about the concert grand piano in particular (the inspiration for the grand piano, its mechanics and materials) ? - Also, did you produce grand pianos at the same time as Estonia and Red October?

Best Regards and thank you in advance
Rasmus Nielsen"

Web-translated into Russian, my flawed English turned into something along the lines of:

"Уважаемый господин Меня зовут Rasmus Nielsen. С интересом я видел одно из Ваших прекрасных Московских фортепьяно концертного рояля (используемый пример с года 2000) для продажи в Германии. Поэтому, мне было бы интересно учиться немного больше о Ваших концертных роялях. Я знаю, что Лира была основана в 1935 и что Вы начали производить фортепьяно в 1956. Когда, однако, Вы начинали производить свои рояли и что Вы можете сказать мне о фортепьяно концертного рояля в особенности (вдохновение для рояля, его механики и материалов)? - Кроме того, Вы производили рояли в то же самое время как Эстонию и Красный октябрь? Наилучшие пожелания и заранее большое спасибо Rasmus Nielsen"

So now we can only wait to hear the tidings from Moscow..

I have been working 20 years in Russia with Lira and all Russian models, but unfortunately I could not identify this instrument. Wow, what a great question!

I played at least two Lira verticals when my choir toured Latvia - now I know where they were made.

Thank you!

As I wrote in an earlier reply, Lira apparently still makes this concert grand ( http://www.lira-piano.ru/eng/grandpianos/moskva-con/ ) - what I am wondering is when they started producing it and whether it is an autonomously "designed" Steinway-copy, a copy of the Red October concert or a copy of the equivalent Estonia..

So you've been working with the output of most Soviet piano factories? (Lira, Belarus, Riga, Smolensk, Chernigov, Red October, Accord, Vladimir etc) - interestingly enough, the Cherny brand pianos (I think they were sold as Ukrainas in the Soviet Union, too) from the Chernigov factory are quite ubiquitous in Denmark (they were our cheapest piano in the 1970s and 80s) and my girlfriend just bought a well-kept 1979 example for 100$ for her new 1970s decor apartment - where, as a piano technician, would you put Cherny, qualitywise, among the Soviet brands? (just for kicks, she only bought the piano for the occasional song and she likes it so far)

The manufactureres like Belarus, Smolenks, Red October,all these pianos are based on one cast-iron plate and parts, they call it, article or model 102.

The core piano was built very good. Unfortunately the detailing on this piano was done on the low level. Limited edition of this piano was built with a Schwander action inside. These pianos were great.

From the pianos mentioned, Ukraina pianos from Chernigov factory are considered the lowest end pianos. When technicians serviced these pianos, they faced multiple problems.