Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info

End-of-Year Fundraising Drive In Progress. Please visit our home page to see this and other announcements: https://www.mmdigest.com     Thank you. --Jody

MMD > Archives > November 1999 > 1999.11.28 > 08Prev  Next


Piano Shapes
By Philip Jamison

It gets more confusing because many piano manufacturers labeled their
upright pianos as "Upright Grand".  This, I was told, referred to the
stringing.  Before about 1850 (and much later in Europe) all pianos
were "straight strung".  That is, the bass strings didn't overlap the
treble strings.

Scale designers discovered the overlap idea, and moved the bass bridge
closer to the active part of the soundboard, improving the tone.  This
stringing was called the "grand" scale by some, hence the oxymoron
"upright grand".

I might also add that collectors refer to pre-cast-iron-plate
rectangular instruments as "square pianos", and the later monsters with
plates as "square grands".  The former had the annoying problem of
"racking" or twisting out of shape.  It's not uncommon that their lids
won't close when they're brought up to pitch!

Philip Jamison
West Chester, Pennsylvania


(Message sent Sun 28 Nov 1999, 13:53:42 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Piano, Shapes

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page