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Author Archives: Scott Jackson
Lovely music on ABC classic this morning
Aside
Happy birthday to Muzio Clementi
It’s been 260 years since the birth of Muzio Clementi (24 January 1752 –10 March 1832). Here is his Piano Concerto in C major, accompanied by images of him throughout his life.
Beloved 1707 Stradivari Cello Sells for a Record Sum
One of the greatest cellos in the world, a beautifully preserved product of Antonio Stradivari that was once owned by Nicolò Paganini, has been sold for a record price. Continue reading
Audio test
[audio http://thepianoworkshop.com.au/wp-content/uploads/WittnerPlStd.wav]
New range of wooden music stands
Featured
The Piano Workshop is proud to stock a new range of wooden music stands made by The Early Music Shop. These are beautifly made, but available at a very reasonable price.
The range includes adjustable height stands in rosewood and walnut finish. There is even a double stand that allows duet players to face each other whilst performing.
All stands made be ordered from this page.
Selling a 300-Year-Old Cello
Link
A longish (4 page) article written by Daniel Wakin, specifically about the Stradivari cello owned and played by Bernard Greenhouse for some 50 years, but more generally about similar old instruments, and their fate.
Includes interviews with owners of other old stringed instruments.
Clementi Square Piano
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If you have a piano that looks like this, congratulations, you have an instrument that is quite rare in Australia. If you would like to have it totally restored, then you have come to the right place.
Square pianos are seldom seen in Australia, but were the main household instruments for over 100 years from the mid 18th till 19th century.
To read more about square pianos, click here.
Can You Pick The Strad?
Above, a 1729 Stradivari known as the "Solomon, Ex-Lambert."
In the world of violins, the names Stradivari and Guarneri are sacred. For three centuries, violin-makers and scientists have studied the instruments made by these Italian craftsmen. So far no one has figured out what makes their sound different. But a new study now suggests maybe they aren’t so different after all.
Here is a link to the story as told by Christopher Joyce on National Public Radio in the USA: Double-Blind Violin Test: Can You Pick The Strad?
It includes two audio samples so that you can test yourself, to see if you can hear the difference. Why not try it out?
Polishing key pins
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Polishing key pins with a Dremel tool.
It is time to start re-assembling the action. The key frame needs a final clean-up, starting with the key-frame pins. We found that a high speed Dremel hobby type tool with a felt wheel worked well to polish the front and balance rail key pins. A little jewellers rouge polishing compound on the wheel helps to buff the pins to a high lustre finish. Excess compound is wiped off, and then the pins are gone over a second time with a clean wheel to finish. Continue reading