The Art of Restoration
Rare grand piano will be featured in summer concert
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/08/2016 (3426 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
On Tuesday evening, Aug. 9, an authentically-restored, century-old grand piano with an intriguing local story will be featured onstage at Brandon University.
This rare Bluthner grand piano, made of exotic Rosewood, was built in Leipzig, Germany in 1905. Bluthner pianos, known for their singing-tone, featured a mysterious, patented over-string that adds a unique silvery-quality to the sound. How this exotic European musical instrument actually ended up in Manitoba is a fascinating story in itself, to be revealed on this special evening.
Over the past year, this instrument has undergone extensive renovations, including replacement of the piano’s delicate soundboard, which is considered the heart of the piano.
“The original soundboard was so badly cracked, reusing it simply wasn’t an option,” says Mark Cramer, Brandon University’s resident piano technician, who directed the restoration. “The art of restoring pianos of this vintage, is to have a guiding-vision of the instrument’s original tone and touch, so that we can hear music today, the way it would have sounded over a century ago.”
Cramer will give a pre-concert talk, sharing photographs of the year-long restoration, along with intriguing details of this instrument’s past lives. Later that evening, several distinguished pianists with significant local connections of their own, will take the stage to perform a mini-concert of piano solos showcasing the Bluthner’s signature sound.
Entitled “The Art of Restoration,” this presentation is the opening feature of Augustfest 2016, a casual-comfortable summertime homecoming of international artists and musicians with Westman roots, sharing music, art and lively discussion. Everyone is welcome!
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