by Tania Gleaves on March 9, 2010
Interested in buying a grand piano? Then take heed — one piano does not fit all! Here’s the skinny on what you need to know and why you need to know it.
It’s hard to resist the beauty of this musical instrument and upon first sight, it has a unique way of stirring the strong impulse to buy one. Aside from the cost factor, there are a lot of things that must be considered before you pull out that check book or credit card because pianos are as unique as the people who play them.
This article will describe some of the most common types with a special emphasis on grand.
Vertical or Upright Pianos
Vertical or upright pianos differs from a grand piano in both design and height. There are typically four different types of upright pianos and these are the instruments that are most commonly seen in schools and churches. They can be as tall as 60 inches, yet the exact height of an upright piano determines its specific type.
Spinet pianos are the shortest of the bunch standing at only 36 inches tall. The taller upright pianos that are 40 inches or taller are the console (40 inches), studio (45 inches), and professional pianos (48 inches).
The Grand Piano
On average, this kind of piano has about ten thousand moving parts inside — each lending to the rich sound that its so famous for. Their unique shapes lend to their beauty while their sizes help define the meaning behind their “grand” essence.
Take note however, that not all of them are immense.
The baby grand piano for example is usually no longer than six feet. But the concert grand (the longest of all) can be nine feet long or more!
The longer it is, the more deep and rich the sound – in particular the sound of the bass tones.
It’s quite easy to recognize one of these instruments because they traditionally follow a conventional design: a curved right side and a straight left side. This gives the piano its “wing” shape.
Recommended Makers
If we were to pick the brands of the best grands in the world, we’d probably have to choose Steinway. They set the bar for almost every other manufacturer worldwide, but their costs match their quality.
My second choice would be Baldwin. Baldwin pianos are very popular however American pianos shouldn’t be ignored due to their solid quality and construction. The problem with American made pianos is that they’re frequently more expensive than foreign-made pianos!
One thing is for sure, and that is the sound generated from a grand piano differs from country to country. An American-made instrument will sound different from an instrument made in Germany or Japan for example, so you’re well advised to experiment before investing.
by Tania Gleaves on March 6, 2010
Perspectives Of Piano History
If you’re anything like us, then you appreciate the way that piano history provides highly interesting perspectives into the lives of past musicians and equally interesting influences on both the musicians of the present and future. We’re particularly encouraged by the history of the Knauss piano and its contribution to the music that we’ve enjoyed for generations.
At its most fundamental level, piano history gives us an insight into why music developed the way that it did. But we’re now in the process of learning where this history will lead us and teach us not only who to appreciate, but why. The problem is that it isn’t always easy to neatly place things or events within a timeline, and sometimes, searching for the history of music can be as exciting as learning it.
Instruments Make History TOo
One of the things that makes learning history difficult is a failure to keep accurate sales records. Without adequate records, it’s difficult to track the trail of development. Another blockade is natural disasters, which literally destroy the evidence we need to understand our role as musicians. In these instances, we are left to seek the story behind our inventions through alternative sources — sources that have made a public impact through other means.
Musical history is made not only through song, it’s also made with the instruments that are played. So then studying the path of development through this route allows an instrument to make its mark in history from the people that play it.
The Knauss piano is one of those instruments and it was the preferred piano of Carl Hardebeck, a London native born in 1869. The Knauss piano is a German product that has a history originating from 1832. But what makes this pianist stand out in history (and thus place the Knauss piano in the archives) was his innate skill for music despite losing his sight as a baby. He moved to Ireland and taught Irish music as a professor, adjudicated competitions, and won awards for his own compositions.
A Knauss Pianist
Although Carl played other instruments, such as the harmonium, his role as a Knauss pianist greatly contributed to some of the beautiful Irish melodies and plainchants that we have today.
Someone somewhere makes history everyday with something — and the Knauss piano isn’t exempt from the chronicles of our studies. To some extent, the lack of significant material compels us to play a more active role in learning more about our interests and to pose questions that might not have ever been asked. New questions often lead to new directions, which of course, lead to new discoveries.
The history of the Knauss piano is prone to progress in a light of such discovery and all efforts will not only help preserve the knowledge that we’ve thus collected so far, it will additionally preserve our potential to learn more about ourselves as a whole.