Chopin's Last Piano Gets Its 19th-Century Features Back

[TheLoony]

This is a way cool story. Restoring something from almost two centuries ago is a helluva challenge. Gotta admire the time and effort it takes to restore an instrument like this.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The last piano on which Frederic Chopin played and composed in Paris is being renovated by a U.S. expert who is giving it back its original mid-19th century characteristics.

Pleyel made the instrument, with serial number 14810, available to Chopin, already seriously ailing at the time, in the fall of 1848. After Chopin's death in October 1849, the piano was bought by his Scottish student and friend, Jane Stirling, who then offered it to Chopin's eldest sister, Ludwika Jedrzejewiczowa.

The piano arrived in Warsaw in 1850 — it still bears the red customs seal of Russia that ruled Warsaw at the time. It survived two world wars, including the destruction of the 1944 Warsaw Rising.

Given the provenance and the good condition of the instrument, McNulty said it is “priceless.

Texas-born McNulty says this is the “best preserved Pleyel piano in the world,” despite having quite a dramatic history. It was played, but treated well by Chopin's family and was not used for concert performances, also because of a failed renovation attempt.

It had most of its iron wire strings changed for much stronger and tighter modern ones during renovation in the late 1950s that destroyed its tone and put strain on the whole structure.”

[PCMusic]

This is a way cool story. Restoring something from almost two centuries ago is a helluva challenge. Gotta admire the time and effort it takes to restore an instrument like this.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The last piano on which Frederic Chopin played and composed in Paris is being renovated by a U.S. expert who is giving it back its original mid-19th century characteristics.

Pleyel made the instrument, with serial number 14810, available to Chopin, already seriously ailing at the time, in the fall of 1848. After Chopin's death in October 1849, the piano was bought by his Scottish student and friend, Jane Stirling, who then offered it to Chopin's eldest sister, Ludwika Jedrzejewiczowa.

The piano arrived in Warsaw in 1850 — it still bears the red customs seal of Russia that ruled Warsaw at the time. It survived two world wars, including the destruction of the 1944 Warsaw Rising.

Given the provenance and the good condition of the instrument, McNulty said it is “priceless.

Texas-born McNulty says this is the “best preserved Pleyel piano in the world,” despite having quite a dramatic history. It was played, but treated well by Chopin's family and was not used for concert performances, also because of a failed renovation attempt.

It had most of its iron wire strings changed for much stronger and tighter modern ones during renovation in the late 1950s that destroyed its tone and put strain on the whole structure.”

Love Chopin's music. What a great story, thanks for bringing it up

Never knew an instrument like this could even survive till today and be playable upon restoration, especially going through such a turbulent times / history. Just wonder who will get the honors to play it ... perhaps laurates of the Chopin contest in Warsaw?

[proggy_jazzer]

It's a fascinating project, to be sure, with a fair amount of guesswork involved especially in finding materials that duplicate as closely as possible those in the original construction. Soundboard wood, hammer felt, stringing wire, are all sourced to be as much of a match for the original parts as possible, making it as much of a research as a craft project. This instrument is valuable not only because it was played by Chopin, but also because it's a very early version of what would become the "modern" piano, with a cast plate and action capable of quick repetition. For comparison, Steinway didn't start patenting the piano's parts and construction (still fundamentally in use today) until the late 1850s. It would be amazing to hear music of that time performed on the finished product, as there would be significant differences between that sound and the sound we've become used to in contemporary performances and recordings. Thanks for sharing the article, Mr. Loony!

[TheLoony]

Love Chopin's music. What a great story, thanks for bringing it up

Never knew an instrument like this could even survive till today and be playable upon restoration, especially going through such a turbulent times / history. Just wonder who will get the honors to play it ... perhaps laurates of the Chopin contest in Warsaw?

Hey, they saved the Lippizanner(SP) Stallions during WW2 so odd stuff can happen. I do love the fact that it wasn't just tossed, someone kept it for all these years. I wonder how much the failed renovation attempt had on restoring this time.

It's a fascinating project, to be sure, with a fair amount of guesswork involved especially in finding materials that duplicate as closely as possible those in the original construction. Soundboard wood, hammer felt, stringing wire, are all sourced to be as much of a match for the original parts as possible, making it as much of a research as a craft project. This instrument is valuable not only because it was played by Chopin, but also because it's a very early version of what would become the "modern" piano, with a cast plate and action capable of quick repetition. For comparison, Steinway didn't start patenting the piano's parts and construction (still fundamentally in use today) until the late 1850s. It would be amazing to hear music of that time performed on the finished product, as there would be significant differences between that sound and the sound we've become used to in contemporary performances and recordings. Thanks for sharing the article, Mr. Loony!

It is fascinating, eh? Just trying to find the info on the original parts, etc. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but everything on earth is different, a tiny bit radioactive, since the atomic bomb came about so how closely can you recreate the original parts with that in mind? I don't know if it makes a difference but I've seen this in some of the ridiculous amount of documentaries I watch.

There's this:

It had most of its iron wire strings changed for much stronger and tighter modern ones during renovation in the late 1950s that destroyed its tone and put strain on the whole structure.

But not much more and I have no idea when this opera is going to be performed. I'd like to hear at least a bit of it, I'm not a big opera guy. Sorry, forgot to add a link.