Comments by both Grant Leonard and Bernt Damm are, in my opinion,
capable of misleading someone regarding the use of the Sustain Trap
or Damper Rail.

In the first case let me point out that the lifting of the dampers allows
something more than just the 'sustaining' of the played tone.  It also
allows the sympathetic vibration of the other strings of the instrument
to be heard to a greater or lesser degree depending on the condition of
the strings themselves.  Without the use of the Sustain Trap only that
tone actually struck will sound to any appreciable degree.  Therefore,
the practice of holding down a single key does not produce exactly the
same effect as using the Sustain.

In the second case, while it is true that some pianists 'play' the
Sustain Trap, it appears when seriously analyzed that the effect is more
of a psychological one than of true musical interpretation.  If all
pianos were exactly the same there might be merit to all of the 'playing'
with the pedal, but the fact is that not all pianos are the same and even
the same piano is not always the same.  A parallel is found in the
tracker action of some pipe organs that some self-styled 'purists' say
can't be reproduced with the modern pipe organ actions.  If you get right
down to the very nitty-gritty they may have a point, but on the other
hand, it's like measuring the distance from New York to Los Angeles with
a micrometer.

If Boesendorfer decided they wanted 255 levels of sustain then where
should Aeolian have stopped with the Duo-art system?

Most music wire has lost the greater portion of its elasticity by the
time it has been strung five or so years.  I don't have the slightest
feeling that anyone is going to go out and restring his instrument every
year as would be required to reproduce the practically infinite nuances
that would possible be available, although guitarist do it regularly, as
do violinist, and others.  And the ones I know don't wait for even a year
to restring.

Remember that when you emulate a human being with a machine there are
compromises.

My suggestion would be to just do what makes you feel satisfied.  If
being an 'absolute purist' is what it takes then go ahead and be one.
If you just want to enjoy what is in your realm, why, then do that.

If you can't live with either of those choices, then buy a CD player
to enjoy.

Musically yours

Hal Davis