Franz Mohr in Moscow

[Alan Barnard]

Yes. I can perfectly describe the tone of Wurlitzer console and spinet and micro-grand pianos that I tune: I believe the technically correct terminology is "Harsh whiney crap."

Alan Barnard
Salem, MO

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "David Boyce" <David at piano.plus.com>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Received: 4/12/2007 12:33:15 PM
Subject: Franz Mohr in Moscow


>I enjoyed watching that.  Mohr says in the short film that Horowitz likes a 
>certain "nasal-ness" in the tone.  That set me to thinking again about how 
>tricky it is to find adjectives to describe the subtleties of piano tone. 
>What do we say of the sound of a Steinway concert grand in comparison to a 
>Yamaha?  We may be able to tell them apart in good quality recordings, but 
>can we DESCRIBE the differences?  Especially to a non-expert?

>There is a cliché I really dislike - it's when someone describes a fine 
>piano as have a "bell-like" tone. Yuk yuk yuk!  Who wants a piano that 
>sounds like bells?  Many bells have such a muddle of harmonics that you can 
>hardly tell what note they are.  It would be a really great compliment to a 
>set of bells to say that they had a "piano-like tone", I reckon!

>Do any have adjectives they would apply to particular brands, or that they 
>tend to use in decribing tone quality?  I'd like to hear what others say 
>before venturing any of my own......

>Best,

>David.