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

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!!

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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

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

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.