Steinway Piano Repair

 

by Linda Marten

 

First Church’s old Steinway is in the midst of an incredible transformation! Since being sent off for rebuilding, it has been torn down to the bare framework and fitted with a new soundboard panel from Italy. The quarter-sawn red spruce for this board was harvested from modern descendants of the trees used to make the famous Stradivarius violins of the late 1600’s. In addition, new bridge caps and a pinblock have been fabricated and are ready for the drilling and fitting that will be done in later stages of the restoration.

 

The piano will also have like-new looks to match its gorgeous new tone. The mahogany case is currently at the refinisher’s shop getting a hand-rubbed satin lacquer finish, and all the hardware is being either replated or cleaned and buffed. The Steinway decals that will be applied to the soundboard and the fallboard above the keys have been selected for historical accuracy, duplicating those used in the era when the piano was manufactured. The interior cast iron plate has a new gold lacquer finish and an artist is hand-lettering the details.

 

Over the summer all the piano’s restored and replaced parts will have an “ingathering” as final assembly, regulation and voicing work is done. Our beautiful instrument’s return home will make our own fall Ingathering all the more special.
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From Alissa Rhode,Lead Music Director

I’m pleased to report that on November 29 our 1917 Steinway B  began the journey into its next life.  It is currently in the expert hands of Timothy Dixon, who has begun the process of rebuilding and rebirthing our precious instrument. The ebony Bösendorfer now in the Sanctuary is graciously on loan from Tim for the duration of this project.  We expect our Steinway to return by Ingathering of 2011.  Thank you to all who so generously contributed (over $30,000!) to this campaign!

Aside from a few organ pipes, one of the older members of First Church is our piano. It is a seven foot Steinway model B and was built in 1917. The original cost was approximately $2,000. Steinway is considered the world’s premier piano builder and is the piano of choice for almost all performing arts venues and concert artists. Today a new mahogany B (which some people think is inferior to a “golden era” Steinway such as ours) lists for $89,500!

 

An instrument of this quality deserves proper maintenance beyond regular tuning and mechanical adjustments. Ten years ago the keyboard and pedal system were restored and the moving parts and hammers were replaced. Decades earlier some repairs were made to the soundboard, but the soundboard is again cracked (worn beyond repair this time) which affects the ability of the piano to sustain a singing tone in the treble sections. The pinblock is losing its grip on the tuning pins, making tuning less stable and effective. The finish on the once beautiful mahogany case is also scarred and cracked.

A piano task force has recently recommended several steps to ensure that our Steinway provides music at First Church far into the future. The most basic repairs are a new soundboard and a new pinblock. Replacing these components would also require the installation of new strings and dampers. And the best time to refinish the case is while the piano is disassembled. For less than the price of a new, but lower-quality piano, we can have our vintage Steinway made to sound and look like new again in what could be described as the ultimate recycling project!

 

Our 1917 Steinway has served the society well for nearly a century, helping countless talented musicians interpret music from Brahms to ragtime to “Spirit of Life” and every style in between. Now it needs our help to assure it will be there for the next generation or two of UU’s.

 

The Board of Trustees has given the go ahead and plans are moving forward. It will take several months to complete the project and arrangements will be made for a substitute piano. And of course, funding must be raised. We will need approximately $30,000.

 

Everyone will have an opportunity to contribute. Please mark your calendars for the following and stay tuned for more information in The Chanticleer.

 

September 26: “Get Tuned In” Question & answer session after all three services, presented by Alissa Rhode, music director, and Linda Marten, First Church member and piano tuner

 

October 17: “Stay Tuned In” Stage left will help us stay tuned-in with a presentation at all 3 services. A special collection will be taken.