That's an interesting piano:




It's a Steinway, too. I'd like to hear it.

Mr. Juufa, don't you live in Wisconsin?

Is that even real?

Yes I do live in Wisconsin. In an area which used to be populated at about 10,000 and farm fields as far as the eye can see. Now, 20 years later, the area is a sprawling, "developed" (more like destroyed) subdivision of Milwaukee. Population is about 38,000. Only a handful of farms left. Actually I drove past one and it is already mowed down and the topsoil is stripped and prepared for another subdivision.

I prefer to live in the sticks.

Really, really weird. Maybe organists would know how to play it?

According to UW-Madison, it is. Which is why you should go check it out! Madison is only about an hour or two away, right?

Yeah, organs and harpsichords have double keyboards sometimes, but I don't know if they're positioned the same way. I'm assuming that they would be similar, at least.

Are there any sound clips with the picture?

I linked the article in my first post, but here it is again in case you missed it. No sound clips.

Oh, sorry. Thanks.

Hmm, the only thing the second manual does is that you play an octave higher. But the sound color is the same. On organs and harpsichords and cembalo one can have different sound colors in order to give different voices different sound. I think, it is really nonsense.

It seems that Steinway did experiment alot with different features.

Have I told already that I too have a unique Steinway? No joke, my Grand is some centimeters longer in size on both sides. So the soundboard, keyflap, notestand, everything is widened by about 8 centimeters. The length however is the same as other Model "O" grands. After restauration, the piano restaurator said to me that he could not hear any sound difference to normal restaured model "O" from that time (1935). Sounds not brighter or more sonorous, but also not worse. After a telephone call to Steinway with giving the serial number there were no additional remarks done in that time why they have experimented with oversize on the right and left side. Strange, isn't it?

Yes, if only it had a pedal keyboard as well

Look, Monica! You can go check it out for us.

Hey, Terez - thanks for the info. Except I work until 7:30 Thursday nights and that concert hall is about a 45 minute drive without traffic, but there's always traffic! If something changes in my day, I will definitely go.

From the NY Times, interview with Christopher Taylor too...

http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=51447a22df4808817b10c4ec7f31af913673f701

interesting video. thanks for sharing.

(seems to me that whenever there is talk about stretching at a keyboard there is always a joke or comment about Rachmaninov's large hands )

I didn't see this before. Thanks, Chase, for putting it up. I don't quite understand why when you play the upper keyboard, the lower keys play also. Too bad I didn't go to that concert when that piano was nearby.