Options for hands-on experience with pianoforte?

(Referring to 'pianoforte', also often described as 'Fortepiano')

Wondering what my options are for some type of live and possibly hands-on experience with a replica of an instrument that Mozart would have heard, played, and composed for? In the San Francisco Bay Area.

I'm taking a piano performance course at a local college and we're concentrating on Mozart right now.

The pianos most of us play were not yet invented in Mozart's time. I've become interested in trying to hear Mozart's music as he might have heard it. I've downloaded a ton of pianoforte music.

However, I'd like to ideally a) hear a pianoforte in person perhaps via a concert but preferably some type of demonstration at a music vendor or school and b) have a chance to actually touch, play a note, or even play a piece on such an instrument. The touch is supposed to be extremely sensitive compared to the modern piano, and I'd like to experience this.

Any suggestions in general?
Suggestions specific to the San Francisco Bay Area?

Thanks,
Matthew

 

I know this is not what you are looking for, but it gives you a sense of what it sounded like:

http://real.uwaterloo.ca/~sbirkett/pleyel_info.htm

This is Chopin of course. The site also has all 24 etudes recorded on a period piano.

As for Mozart? Well I really can't help you too much. I was watching the Travel Channel once and there was a show hosted by a "silly chap from England", he was in Salzburg and snuck in a few notes on Mozart's piano in the museum. I believe he and the camera crew were escorted out of the building. COuld be wrong.

I know I didn't help, but I tried. :wink:

 

I am too very interested in playing the music on period instruments. Have no tips regarding adresses in the San Francisco Bay area, however.

But there is a revival of custom built instruments in historic manner. Since some instruments like the clavichord (the most beloved keyboard instrument from Bach, and also Haynd, Mozart, even Brahms liked to play on a clavichord) are surprisingly easy to build, so there are kits available to build an own. If I anytime buy a kit for an own built clavichord I for sure will present it here along with some Bach WTC items recorded on it.

Here is a link for such kits:
http://www.theparisworkshop.com/en/index-en.html

But instead building an own it is also possible to try out such an instrument in a regional association. So it should be possible to play on new built fortepianos or harpsichords or clavichords.
For instance in Los Angeles, they do have an original 1841 Broadwood piano e.g. to play on, and chances are good that there are older instruments as well:
http://www.harpsichordcenter.com/

 

I can't speak for San Francisco, but here in Houston, two music schools at local universities have period reproduction pianofortes that they use for performances, and I'm sure to allow students of period music the opportunity to actually play on period reproductions. I'd guess that at least Berkley has some period instruments. And, while you couldn't expect to just show up and barge in and play one, I'm sure that with a letter of introduction sent from your professor to the people at the UCB music school, they would arrange to let you have an hour or so on a period reproduction instrument.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKyLiTT7 ... 6MEkXU8T_g

This is a video of a guy playing pianoforte at the Ira F. Brilliant center for Beethoven Studies in San José State University's Martin Luther King, Jr. Library.

 

Mega bump :lol:
It generally does not make much sense to post a reply on a years-old topic. More often than not, the previous posters are not even around anymore....
Nonetheless, welcome to PS !

 

Oooops! Didn't think to note that the original post was 2007. Ya live and learn... but only when you pay attention.

 

Old topic, but who cares?

There are many recordings using period instruments, and that goes for fortepianos as well. You can get all of Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, and Schubert on fortepiano. My favorites are Brautigam for Beethoven and Mozart, Badura-Skoda for Schubert, and Christine Schorensheim for Haydn. Malcolm Bilson's recordings of the complete Mozart Piano Concertos, on a Philip Belt fortepiano, remain, for my money, the best Mozart Concertos available.

On the east coast, you can try shopping the Harpsichord Clearing House: http://www.harpsichord.com

Jim Abraham

 

Nobody. It's just that the original poster is no longer on this forum as you can see by his/her name having being "Anonymous".