Piano Palooza - Vintage Anchor Hocking

As you may already know,
there's an event coming up next weekend (July 13-16, 2017)
and we're calling Piano Palooza.
Basically, it's a fund raiser for restoration work on this old piano.
Here's an example of some of the things you'll find at Piano Palooza:
Vintage Anchor Hocking from the 1960s - Prescut Glass Star of David Design.

See you next weekend at Piano Palooza
in the Beautiful City of Wyandotte, MI!

Restore Andrea The Piano!!

 
She's talkin' about me!
She's talkin' about me!
My pianist owner is talkin' about me, Andrea The Piano!

The complete text of what she says is below!

Or,  
you can just click here 
and Donate To My Restoration Project Now!

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I’d like to introduce you all to
Andrea The Piano.

Andrea is an antique Steinway & Sons
square grand piano.
dated at 1872,
making her 143 years old.
She was crafted in New York
by the most skilled of old world artisans

Andrea the Piano is made of Brazilian rosewood.
Because it is endangered
import & export of rosewood,
either as lumber or as a finished product,
is prohibited
from most countries in the world
including the Unites States.

As such,
Andrea The Piano
is an American made beauty
that will never leave the United States of America.       
                                   
This piano has many hand carved features,
such as the legs, music rack and pedal.
She also features hand stenciling inside.

And while we have no documented proof of this,
we firmly believe that Henry Steinway himself
chose the wood that would later become Andrea The Piano.
It takes a full year to craft a Steinway Piano,
but before that,
it takes 2 years to dry and prepare the wood.
Andrea the Piano is dated at 1872,                   
which means artisans started crafting her in 1871.
But the wood for this magnificent piano
would have been chosen in 1869
to being the 2 year preparation process.
Henry Steinway died in 1871.
So then,
it is altogether possible
that he chose the wood himself
for Andrea The Piano
though he would not live to see the finished piano.

Andrea The Piano
is one of many instruments
in The Little Piano House,
located in the beautiful city
of Wyandotte, MI.
This little house
is a music, art & piano studio.
There are actually 2 artists
that utilize studio space
in the Little piano house,
one whose artwork is featured in River's Edge Gallery
in the beautiful city of Wyandotte, MI
And of course,
Students arrive to learn the art of piano.

And so,
Andrea The Piano is housed
with several pieces of artwork,
with several electronic instruments
and a few antique reed organs.

This is NOT a piano
behind glass or a red velvet ribbon
in a museum with a
“do not touch” sign.
On the contrary,
we welcome pianists,
young and old
to enjoy this magnificent piano.

This piano is need of much restoration work
and we ask for your help and support
to bring her back to full glory.
There aren’t many qualified and trained
to do the all the work needed.
Indeed, just to bring her to The Little House
required piano movers knowledgeable
about such Victorian era instruments.
As such,
a full restoration will be quite costly.
She will need to travel out of state
to have complete restoration work done.

Just to give you an idea
of how much detail is required. . .

Did you know that each key on a piano
has over 50 pieces?

Multiply that by 88 keys
and we are speaking of well over 4,000 parts
that must be restored, repaired, or replaced.
And that is just for the piano keys alone.

Who am I?
My name is Rubi
and I am one of the owners of Andrea The Piano
and of the little house
that houses Andrea.

I am no stranger to music
in Metro Detroit and Downriver.
I’ve been working in church music ministry for years.
Perhaps you’ve been a member
of one of the many children’s choirs I’ve directed over the years.
Or maybe you were a member of one of the adult choirs
that participated in special events,
like this group that had the opportunity
to sing in Mexico City.
Perhaps I was the musician for your wedding
or your child’s first communion.
Perhaps you had me as a piano teacher
in Detroit
at COMPAS Center of music & performing arts
or at Garage Cultural / The Cultural Garage,
Or maybe even at the Little House.

Maybe it’s because I’ve accompanied you as a musician
during life’s special moments.
Maybe it’s because you have a love for music.
Maybe it’s because you treasure antiques.
Maybe it’s because you appreciate works of art.
Maybe it’s because you live in or near Wyandotte, MI
and would love to help in a local project.
Maybe you’re one of Andrea’s Twitter followers
have enjoyed her wit, humor, and wisdom.

Whatever the reason
I’m asking you to help us
Restore Andrea.

Something about Henry Steinway

While we have no documented proof of this,
we firmly believe Henry Steinway choose the wood
that would later become me,
Andrea The Piano.

It takes a full year to craft a Steinway piano.
I am dated at 1872, which means work on me started in 1871.
But it also takes two years to dry and prepare wood for a Steinway
before the work in crafting the piano even starts.
That means that the wood for me would have been chosen in 1869.
Henry Steinway died in 1871.
That means it is altogether possible that Henry Steinway himself
chose the wood that would later become me, Andrea The Piano,
though he would not live to see me as a finished piano.

RestoreAndrea.org

Who Will Do The Restoration Work for Andrea The Piano?

Who will do my restoration work?
That is a loaded questions!

Not too long ago
a story appeared in a local newspaper about me.
Boy, did tons of folks have opinions and comments
about who should do my restoration work,
about where I should get it done.

I mean,
if your piano is the basement
you haven't made the best decisions
regarding your piano
and really aren't in a good place
to offer opinions about what's best
for someone else's piano.

And if your piano got new strings 50 years ago,
well, I hate to be the one to break the news to you,
but you are about ready to for new strings again.

But you know,
my pianist owner
has been on top of all of this.
She has researched and made phone calls.
She has been in touch with people
who have pianos like me.

There's a place in Detroit that can give me new strings.
However, they won't give me new pins
or do a thing to the pinblock.
Well, that's like trying to put a nail
in the same hole.

And there are other folks in Michigan
that have experience restoring antiques,
however, they made it very clear
that they know very little
disassembling and reassembling an antique piano.

And some folks
just never bothered to call her back.
I mean,
if you can't or won't work with me
at least let us know.
But they didn't even want to talk about me
and the work I need.

I could go on and on,
but I think you get the idea.

My pianist owner
finally started calling companies out of state.
Time and again those who do restoration work
on old pianos
started to recommend one particular place.
So, she contacted them.

They were very detailed
about the work that needed to be done
and about how they would do it.
They also made it very clear
that the full restoration would take
a full year to complete.

Now that just makes sense.
It takes a year to craft a Steinway.
But before that,
it takes two years to dry and prepare the wood.
It only makes sense
that a full restoration
would take one full year to complete.

So, who did we choose
to do my restoration work?
The Antique Piano Shop
located in the state of Tennessee.

Hey, Michael Stinnett,
I don't know when I'll get there,
but I hope you'll be ready
to take good care of me!!!

Andrea, The Piano

Piano Parts

A piano has more than 12,00 parts,
I believe it's more like 12, 116 for a modern day Steinway Grand Piano.
The action for 1 key alone is more than 57 parts.
So, for 88 keys that's 4,500 parts.. . . just for the keys!

It's no small wonder my restoration work
will take a full year to complete!

Post by The Friends of Steinway Mansion.

     -Andrea,
          The Piano

 

92-year-old Pianist

I suppose in the life of every human, there will come a time
that you no longer play football or soccer or baseball or basketball.
There may come a time when you  no longer take to the mat
for those graceful flips and tumbles of gymnastics.

But even when you're 92 years of age,
you can still enjoy a Steinway piano!

. . and at 143 years of age,
a Steinway piano can still be enjoyed!

When my pianist owner is 92,
I do hope she will be enjoying me
as much as the graceful pianist in this video.

      -Andrea,
           The Piano

Post by botl.com.

Ah, Bach!

My pianist owner just loves Johann Sebastian.

She dreams of the day that she will be able to play this piece,
Brandenburg Concerto #3 in G Major,
on this old Steinway once I'm an fully restored.

To tell the truth,
I can wait for that day either!

Ah, Bach!
Now, this is music!

       -Andrea,
            The Piano

Andrea's 31!!!

Welcome to my 31!
Yes, it's time for Andrea's 31!

No, it's not my 31st birthday!
Actually when this new year came
I officially became a 143 year old piano!
Yes, I am a 143 year old Steinway Square Grand Piano!
But it's NOT my birthday!

Actually, Andrea's 31 in online event
to help raise a few dollars that will go toward my restoration project.

You all are familiar with Thirty-One, are you not?
Purses, Wallets, Tots.
Products for you, for you home!

With your purchase,
you'll get a great product
and I'll be a step closer to the Antique Piano Shop.

Won't you join us for Andrea's 31?!!??

Oh, and just so you know,
there will be many ways you will be able to support me
in my journey toward restoration.

Thank you for your support!

Musically yours,
Andrea, The Piano

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town!!!

Santa is coming!
Santa is coming!
Santa Claus is coming to town!

Does Santa visit old pianos?
Will he come to the Little House in Wyandotte where I live
and leave me any presents?

Will 2015 be a good year for this old Steinway?
Will I get to the restoration place some time next year?

Will I be getting any more antique roommates
any time soon?

Will my roommates also be going in for restoration work?

Hey, Jimmy Fallon,
why didn't you ask me if I wanted
to be in that video?

So, You Wanna Know What Makes Andrea The Piano So Special???

So, what's my story?
People have been asking.
I hope you don't mind
if I repeat myself a little with this blog post.
But my story bears repeating!

My pianist owner
was in search of a piano.
Now,
she is a church musician and choir director.

She is also a piano teacher.
She has taught both at
COMPAS - Center of Music and Performing Arts Southwest
and at Garage Cultural,
both located in the City of Detroit.
She started teaching her niece from home
and then some church friends asked her for lessons,
and well,
she soon found herself in need of a piano.

Now, mind you,
she has several electronic keyboards.
But nothing is quite like a piano.





She is also the proud owner

of an antique Vose Baby Grand piano,

which was actually gifted to her.
But she needed another piano
to teach from in her studio,
away from the goings on of the household.

She quickly decided
that she didn't want a spinet piano.
After owning a baby grand piano
the small sound of a spinet just wouldn't do.
She decided on an old upright piano.
So many uneducated folk
are just giving those pianos away on Craigslist
and on the piano adoption website.

Ugh!
Most of those old uprights
have their original ivory keys.
Ivory hasn't been used on pianos since the 1970s.
And the new ivory laws (as of Feb. 2014)
means you can't import or export ivory from the U.S.
Giving away pianos with original ivory keys?
My pianist owner would take them all
if she had the space and resources
to repair/restore them all!!!

But even more,
the sound of an old upright piano
is absolutely phenomenal.
How this modern world
got all into those crummy little
61-key electronic evil no-name keyboards
is totally beyond me.
Well, you can learn some music
from those little things, that's true.
But an upright piano,
well, the sound is beyond comparison.
The music made from an upright piano
is simply heaven.

My pianist owner wanted an upright.

But then it occurred to her
that the Little Piano House
is a little house.
Uprights are rather wide.
An upright piano, in all likelihood,
would not fit through the door of the little house.
Removing the door from the hinges
might get it in the door,
but the door to the room would be another story.
No, an upright piano
wouldn't make it through that narrow door at all.

So,
she deiced on a square grand piano.
Now,
although a square grand piano is much, much larger
(I am 7-ft. long)
they are disassembled for a move
and reassembled at their new location.
She even posted a photo on her facebook page
of a restored Steinway Square Grand Piano
and stated in her wall post,
that for no logical reason
she wanted one.
(really, a spinet piano
would have been the logical choice!)
Little did she know at that time
that I was looking for a new home.

OK.
This  makes me special to her.
But I'm special for more reasons
than her love of music and pianos.

I am made of Brazilian Rosewood,
which is endangered.
In fact,
rosewood cannot be import or exported
from just about every country in the world.
It is protected because it is endangered.
Many musical instruments
were made from Brazilian Rosewood
back in the day.
We just sound so good made of this wood.

I also have my original ivory keys.
So, this adds value
and a bit of something special to me
as a piano.

I was built in 1872.
Now,
it takes a year to create a Steinway,
even now in modern times.
It takes a year
to create a Steinway piano.
So,
what this means
is that work on me started in 1871.

But,
with the process Steinway uses,
then as now,
it take a year to prepare the wood.
So,
what this means
is that the wood chosen
that would later become me,
Andrea The Piano,
was chosen in 1870.

Henry Steinway died in 1871.
Now,
there is no way to prove or document this,
but it is very probable that Henry Steinway himself
hand picked the wood that would later become
Andrea The Piano.

 

All the world knows

that there is no better piano
than a Steinway.
And I have been graced
to bear the Steinway name.
I have been graced
with the Steinway touch.

I am an American made beauty,
hand crafted by old world artisans
in New York.

I made my way from New York to Chicago
via horse and wagon.
I would later make another trek
via horse and wagon
to a farm in Lapeer, MI.

Then there was a gentleman in Pleasant Ridge, MI
who sought me out as gift
for his lovely wife.
I traveled form Lapeer to Pleasant Ridge
in the back of a pick-up truck
cushioned by mattresses and blankets.

And then,
in May 2014,
my current pianist owner came for me.
For the first time in all my years
I was moved by professional piano movers,
people who all they do
is move pianos for a living.
I knew she loved me
when she chose them to come for me.
And mind you,
she was very picky.
She called a gazillion professional movers
before deciding on the ones she chose for me.

And now
I live in The Little Piano House,
thus named
cuz it's a little house full of pianos
(and one antique organ, but that's another story!)

I am not a piano behind glass,
like Daniel, the piano at Greenfield Village
in Dearborn, MI.
Poor thing, like a caged animal.
People just stop and stare.




Even the pianos

at Wyandotte's Historical Museum
have those "do not touch" signs.
I wish they would remove those signs.
If a piano isn't played
they will forget how to be a piano.

A piano does have to be
tuned and maintained, that's true.

But why have a piano that no one can touch or play?
Is she really a piano if she is silenced?

Seasoned musicians
can enjoy me.

The curious can stop by for a visit.
(just contact my pianist owner!)

Young beginner musicians can play me.
Even older beginner musicians can make music with me!
They learn about music history.
They learn about piano history.

What great composers
would have written music
on a square grand piano?

When did they stop making
square grand pianos?

Why did they stop making
square grand pianos?

When and why did they stop using
ivory and rosewood?

Perhaps I do belong in a museum.
But then,
I would only be a photo opp.
And I want to be so much more than that.

It takes a year to create a Steinway.
But before that,
it takes a year to prepare the wood.
One fine day,
when all the funds are in place,
it will take a year to have me fully restored.

It takes 350 hands to create a Steinway.
But you know,
it only takes 2 to make her sing.
And you know,
I'm not picky.
I am just has happy
with those beginner piano students
playing "twinkle little star"
as I am with my pianist owner
working on her Mozart.

If I were in a museum
I would not have any hands at all
making me sing.

In a museum
my music would stop,
most likely, forever.
And that would really be tragic,
wouldn't it?

I am special.
I am an 1872 Steinway & Sons
Square Grand Piano.
I Am
Andrea, The Piano!!

********************************

It takes 350 hands. . . .

It takes a year to build a Steinway piano.
But before the piano can be created,
it takes a year
just to prepare the wood.

It takes 350 hands to build the Steinway,
but only 1 pair of hands to make her sing.

Alas,
I won't be singing this beautifully
for quite some time
as it will take a year
for my restoration work to be done.
And before that,
we must first raise the necessary funds.

But here's to dreaming the big dream!!!

Enjoy!

Andrea,
The Piano.

Steinway

It takes a full year
to prepare the wood
that will one day
be crafted into a Steinway Piano.

And then,
it takes a year
to create a Steinway Piano.

And it will take one year
for my restoration work,
once necessary funds are in place.

Here's a video
that shows how people just love their Steinway pianos.
Makes me shed a tear
to know that I am loved this much.

Enjoy.

Andrea, The Piano

Andrea, Can You Tell Us What Happens To Pianos As They Age?

Andrea's Piano Strings

What can happen to pianos
after time?

Well,
you're asking the right question
as I am a piano
that is 142 years old!

Many, many things can happen,
even to the finest pianos,
when they age.

As pianos are made of wood,
well,
things can happen.
Some pianos can suffer many dents,dings and scratches
over the years.
Some pianos may need refinishing.
Pianos, such as myself,
can have many ornate moldings.
With time,
some of the moldings may have gotten chipped or damaged.
Some of the moldings
may even be missing.

I have a round stain.
At some point in time
one of my previous pianist owners
kept a house plant on me.
The plant got overwatered,
and,
unfortunately,
so did I.

Elderly pianos may have missing hammers or felts.
I have both of these problems.

Older pianos
may also have ivories
that have yellowed.
Sometimes the ivory
is chipped or cracked.
Some of my ivory is missing.
And some of my ivory
has actually fallen inside.

Now,
it's only older pianos
that actually have ivory keys.
Ivory hasn't been used on a piano keyboard
since 1972,
due to ivory laws.
Since 1972 pianos have plastic keys.

I, however,
have my original ivory keyboard.

And now,
let's talk about strings.
Most modern day pianos
have 88 keys,
though some square grand pianos before me
had 61 keys.
Eighty-eight keys is pretty standard now.
And each key has 3 strings.
The average life for strings and mechanisms
is about 50 years.
Sometimes a string will break
or there are other problems,
but for the most part
we can expect strings to last 50 years.

I have my original strings.
Though out of tune,
I am playable.
My pianist owner
doesn't want to have me tuned
for fear that the excess tension
will cause the strings to break.

Still,
my strings have lasted
almost 3 times longer
that what is normal.
This, indeed,
is yet another testament
as to what a fine instrument
a Steinway piano really is.

But,
alas,
my strings are old.
They need to be replaced,
as do my hammers, felts
and pin block.

I am a very special piano
with very special needs.
Please stop and take a few moments
to think of ways
you can help me
reach my goal
of a complete restoration.
In the weeks to come
I'll be offering several suggestions.
For now, though,
you have some idea
as to what can happen to pianos
as they age.

Historically yours,
Andrea,
The Piano.

Where Was Andrea, The Piano, Before She Came To Wyandotte, MI?

Where was I before coming to Wyandotte?

Many, many years ago,
I was born in New York.
I was hand crafted
by the many fine skilled artisans
of Steinway & Sons.

Now,
dates are not clear,
but I have lived in a few places
before coming to
The Little Piano House
in Wyandotte, MI.
(the little piano house
is actually a little house behind the main house.
i believe traditionally
they are called "in-laws" quarters.
The city of Wyandotte, MI
has many such little houses
behind the main house.)

Anyhow,
from New York
I moved to Chicago.
Now mind you,
travel for Square Grand Pianos
was a bit difficult back then.
I made my way
from New York to Chicago
via covered wagon.
Yes, that's right!
I made the trek from the east via covered wagon.

After some time in Chicago
I would take another covered wang trip.
This second wagon trip took me to a farm in Lapeer, MI.

Now,
mine is just one of many stories told
that sing the praises of Steinway pianos
that have made the long trip via covered wagon
and arrived at their destination in tune.
I am so proud to be a Steinway!!!

My next home
was in a very beautiful house
and in an absolutely love neighborhood
in Pleasant Ridge. MI.
I was a gift for a very nice lady.
A man brought me to give to his wife.
I made that trip from Lapeer to Pleasant Ridge
in the back of a pick-up truck.
I was cushioned by mattresses and blankets
for that trip to Pleasant Ridge.

And finally,
my arrival to Wyandotte!
For the first time in my life
professional piano movers,
people who all they do is move pianos,
were the ones to bring me to Wyandotte, MI

One of the things these piano movers noticed
is that the last time I was moved
they put my legs in the wrong places.
This is sort of like
a pre-schooler who puts their shoes on the wrong feet!
But my legs are all in the right places now!

I've been in Wyandotte
since May 2014.

I live in a lovely little house
lovingly called
"The Little Piano House."
I  have my own room
in that little house.
Another room in the house
is the music study room.
There are several electronic pianos in that room.
A few local artists
also use the little house
as a studio
and many fine paintings are created there.

Well,
that's the story of where I've been.
Now I am a resident of Wyandotte, MI!

I am
Andrea,
The Piano.

What Are Some Of The Features Of A Steinway Piano?

Hello, World!

Andrea The Piano here
with another great Steinway Piano video.
This video details some of the reasons
that Steinway pianos
are the best pianos ever.

With this video,
I've included the transcript that youtube provides.
It's just that the information contained here
is so very important
that I don't want you to miss any of it.

Remember,
I am a Steinway,
albeit, a piano much older
than any in this video.
But I am Steinway!

Enjoy!

-Andrea, The Piano

**********************************

**********************************

0:06

[music]

0:18

Since 1853, Steinway & Sons has been synonymous with musical

0:22

excellence in the building and the design of the Steinway Piano.

0:27

Our founder, Henry Engelhard Steinweg,

0:30

had one simple tenant that we subscribe to today,

0:34

simply build in the best piano possible. Period.

0:38

Today, over 1,500 pianists worldwide proudly bear the title

0:44

Steinway Artist.

0:45

What is so remarkable about this distinction, is that these are not paid

0:49

endorsers,

0:50

but they choose the Steinway piano because of the love of their craft.

0:54

As President of Steinway & Sons for the Americas, I am often asked,

0:59

"What components within a Steinway piano contribute to this unique and imitable

1:03

Steinway sound?"

1:04

Considering a piano is comprised of over 12,000 parts, it is a

1:07

little difficult to determine which ones are the most prominent.

1:11

But I think as we all know, the soundboard of the piano is perhaps the

1:14

heart and soul of any piano.

1:17

And Steinway & Sons, in 1936, had an innovative breakthrough.

1:21

We developed what is known as the diaphragmatic soundboard that

1:24

essentially allowed the piano

1:26

to vibrate more freely, creating a warmer, richer, more resonant sound for a

1:31

longer, sustained period of time.

1:35

The action in any piano is an extraordinarily important part of an

1:39

instrument,

1:40

and in 1936, Steinway & Sons patented the accelerated action.

1:44

This was a revolutionary breakthrough which enabled the performer to extract

1:48

whatever sounds, loud or soft,

1:50

they wished to get from the instrument.

1:58

Another exclusive feature of the Steinway piano, is the patented Hexagrip pinblock.

2:02

The pinblock is an integral part of the Steinway piano in that it holds

2:07

the tuning pins in place using hard rock maple construction angled at forty-five

2:12

degrees in laminations.

2:14

It is this particular Hexagrip design that enables the Steinway piano to

2:19

withstand any climatic conditions and maintain its tune for extended periods

2:24

of time.

2:29

The rim of a Steinway grand piano is comprised of hard rock maple,

2:35

continuously bent in one operation.

2:37

It is this process that enables the Steinway piano to endure for generations

2:42

to come.

2:48

The scale of each Steinway piano is this some of all of its components,

2:52

and one specific component which is extraordinarily important to every grand

2:56

piano, is the cast iron plate or frame.

2:59

This component is so important to Steinway & Sons that we own and operate our

3:04

own foundry, using bell quality castings to make the Steinway plate.

3:12

The duplex scale,

3:13

a Steinway invention, adds color to every Steinway piano

3:18

by enhancing the termination of each individual note.

3:24

[music]

3:31

It takes over a year to handcraft a Steinway grand piano from the finest

3:35

materials available,

3:37

and it is this painstaking process

3:39

that enables the Steinway piano to develop its own unique musical personality.

3:48

Whether you are an aspiring artist, or just want the joy of music in your home,

3:53

there is a Steinway built especially for you.

How Do You Make A Steinway?

How do you make a Steinway piano?
What makes Steinway so special?
As you will learn from this video,
many many people join forces
in creating a single Steinway piano.

I hear people usually say
that it takes a year to make a Steinway.
That's not really true.
Really, it takes about two years.
As you'll hear in the beginning of this video,
the wood is dried for year.
That's the first part of the process.

Narrating this video is Mr. John. H. Steinway.
He was the great-grandson of the infamous Henry E. Steinway.

Now,
this video details the process
of a concert grand piano.
And I, of course, am a square grand.
And Steinway doesn't make pianos like me anymore.
However,
the loving care that goes into a Steinway
remains virtually unchanged.
Each Steinway is unique.
Each Steinway is marvelous.

Enjoy the video.

-Andrea, The Piano

Andrea, What Is A Square Grand Piano?

Most have never seen
a square grand piano in person.
Most people don't even know
what one is.

Just about everyone
who has come to Wyandotte to see me,
well,
their jaws drop.
They gasp.
They say that they had no idea
of how big I was.
(I'm 7feet long!)
They are really shocked and surprised!

So,
what is a square grand?
It's an antique piano
that is, basically, square in shape
(OK, I'm really more of a rectangle).
Sometimes we are known
as box pianos.

Take a look at my photo.
I am a square grand piano.

Square grand pianos
have their place in history.
We are, for the most part
19th century instruments.
Steinway and Sons of New York
first gained infamy as master piano builders
with the square grand piano.

Square grand pianos
are from the Victorian era.
as such we are very beautiful to behold.
We are magnificent instruments
that were created, built and carved by hand
by artisans extremely skill in their craft.
We are pianos with intricately carved legs,
music racks and pedal lyres.
This, alone, give us much value
as square grand pianos.

Steinway and Sons
often used Brazilian rosewood.
Brazilian rosewod
is almost extinct today.
In 1967.
the Brazilian government outlaws the export
of Brazilian rosewood logs
and in 1992
the newly formed CITES
(Convention on International Trade
in endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)
declared that Brazilian rosewood
is a threatened species.
The aim of the CITES convention
is to ensure that international trdae
in specimens of wild animals and plants
does not threaten their survival.
As a result.
most nations throughout the world
declare it illegal to harvest,
export or import
any Brazilian Rosewood.
This ban includes import and export
of finished products
made of Brazilian Rosewood,
like square grand pianos,
for example.

And when originally crated,
most of these beautiful pianos
had ivory keys.
and so,
this, too, gives added value to the square grand.
Effective this year (Feb. 2014)
Ivory cannot be imported to the U.S. at all,
not even for historic reasons,
like restoring an antique piano.

Made of ivory and rosewood,
you just can't buy this piano today.
She isn't made.
And with the name "Steinway & Sons,"
well, dare I be the one to say it,
she is a treasure beyond measure.

Now let us also consider the fact
that the square grand piano
has her place
in the history and evolution of pianos.
We came before the upright and player pianos,
and we certainly came before
the modern day grand piano.
And so
the square grand piano has value
because she is,
in fact,
a part of piano evolution.

In fact,
we square grand pianos
are the grandparents
of your modern day grand pianos.

When restoring these instruments
new owners of these old pianos
are often amazed that the hammers
have leather instead of felt.
Again,
we must look to the times
when these instruments were built.
Piano builders of the day
would have used the material they had on hand.
And so,
with leather instead of felt,
pianos of our day
had more of a harp sound.
From leather to felt,
this is the part of
the piano's evolution.


By about 1880-1890,
the upright piano grew every popular.
It was considered
as much more fashionable than the square grand piano.
The upright piano was smaller
(can you believe it?)
and took up less space.
And so,
the square grand piano became obsolete
by about the year 1900.

Even though the square grand piano
has her place in history,
there are those who would detract
and state that the square grand piano
has an inferior sound.
The truth is,
it is a softer sound than the grand or upright.

As previously stated,
some actually sound like a harp.
So, we can't compare apples and oranges.
We need to understand
what was going on in history
and what materials where available at the time,
as well as look at
what venues these pianos were crafted for.

Today,
people what baby grand and concert grands.
People want Elton John
to have a bigger and louder piano
every time they see him.
And,
looking at things historically,
putting things in perspective,
modern music
really does carry
a harsher/louder sound.
Back in the day
we were making music
for theaters and parlors.
Back in the day,
an instrument that made music
to fill The Palace of Auburn Hills
wasn't being considered.
It was a ofter sound,
a gentler sound
that was so desired.

And so,
now I have, more or less,
explained what a square grand piano is.

I am Andrea,
The Square Grand Piano.
I was crafted by Steinway and Sons.
I am made of Brazilian Rosewood
and have my original ivory keys.
I was crafted in the year 1872.

Welcome to my blog!

I Am Andrea, The Piano

Hello, World!

 

I am Andrea.

I am an 1872 Steinway Piano.
Yes, I am a Steinway!

Steinway: The Rolls Royce of Pianos.

And I am a square grand piano.

So many have never seen a square grand,

don't even know what one is.

But here I am!

More on Steinway,

about Henry Steinway himself,

about square grand pianos,

about pianos in general,

and even, perhaps,

a bit about some great composers.

I recently moved to

the Beautiful City of Wyandotte, MI.

But I will tell you all more about my travels,

about the journey that brought me to Wyandotte,

as this blog progresses.

I am over 100 years old,

and I have to admit

that I do have a few health problems.

With this blog

I'd like to let you know

what happens to pianos as they age,

and why some (like me!)

are truly historic treasures

worthy of restoration.

Soon

I will put up a "contact me" form

on this blog

so that we can dialogue

and get to know one another.

I'm sure there are many questions

you all might have

for a lady that is 142 years young!

Anyhow,
I just wanted to introduce myself

and let you all know

that I will be blogging here

with a little help from my pianist.

Welcome to my blog!

-Musically yours,

Andrea, The Piano.