| Author |
Subject |
Paul
Tseng ICS Staff 
Administrator
(4/3/01 4:40:40 pm)
Reply
 |
Top
down or up?
Yeah right, I wish I could be
talking about a convertible (The next set of wheels for me will most
likely be a mini-van. And as a friend of mine said, I'll have to
turn in my man-card, the day I start driving one)
But what I
meant is that when you perform cello and piano sonatas, do you have
the pianist play with the piano's lid open or closed, or at half
stick?
I really don't like the sound of the piano with the
lid closed or on the half stick. I usually ask the pianist to put it
up on full stick (most of them are happy to oblige). So far, I've
not had any balance problems. Perhaps I've worked with some good
pianists.
How about you guys?
Paul Tseng
My Website
Alexander's website
MP3!
|
bridge
Registered User
(4/3/01 4:53:38 pm)
Reply |
Re: Top
down or up?
Can't help you with the piano. But I
can with the mini-van. Don't do it. I rented one for a week. I'd
like to think I'm not too shallow, but I FELT LIKE SUCH A DORK! So I
got a station wagon . . . much cooler.
Hey, if nothing else,
I moved your post back to the top.
|
Bobbie
Registered
User
(4/3/01 5:02:39 pm)
Reply |
Re: Top
down or up?
Good question. My duo partner and I
have found that it depends highly on the acoustics in the room and
on the piano and even on what we are playing. We usually try to
check it out ahead of time and get someone to listen for
balance.
|
Paul
Tseng ICS Staff
Administrator
(4/3/01 5:48:19 pm)
Reply
|
Re: Top
down or up?
Bridge,
I might not have too
much choice in this matter. I porably won't feel like a dork, but I
don't think I'll feel as cool as when I drove a nice shiny black
sports car in my Baltimore/NY days.
Paul Tseng
My Website
Alexander's website
MP3!
Edited by: Paul
Tseng ICS Staff at: 4/3/01 5:48:19 pm
|
Paul
Tseng ICS Staff
Administrator
(4/3/01 5:52:47 pm)
Reply
|
Re: Top
down or up?
Bobbie,
I do the same thing
and try to get a good objective listen to the balance from a friend
or my MINDISC recorder.
But still, as long as the piano is
decent, we try to keep the lid open fully for sound quality. The
pianists usually would rather manage their volume than put up with a
muffled sound at any dynamic.
Paul Tseng
My Website
Alexander's website
MP3!
|
Bobbie
Registered
User
(4/3/01 6:05:13 pm)
Reply |
Re: Top
down or up?
I'm afraid to trust the minidisc on
this because it seems to pick up cello better than piano.
|
Paul
Tseng ICS Staff
Administrator
(4/3/01 7:31:24 pm)
Reply
|
Re: Top
down or up?
Wow, I was wondering about that. I
too was surpised at how well it picked up the cello. Now I'll have
to get some live help in the audience.
Paul Tseng
My Website
Alexander's website
MP3!
|
bridge
Registered User
(4/3/01 9:00:12 pm)
Reply |
Re: Top
down or up?
I had my first child 2.5 years ago.
I went from driving a restored 1972 BMW 2002tii to brand new 1999
stripped Saturn sedan. Shh . . . don't tell anyone, but I have
contemplated a mini van. Between a cello, a toddler and a 75 pound
dog . . . growing up, I guess it would happen eventually. :-)
|
zambocello
Registered User
(4/4/01 1:44:15 am)
Reply |
Always
all the way open
Since the pianist can hear the piano
better, it usually leads to better soft dynamics. And if the pianist
is going to be too loud with the stick up they're going to be too
loud on 1/2 stick too.
|
Parker
Garvin
Registered
User
(4/4/01 5:48:14 pm)
Reply |
Re:
Always all the way open
Right on, Zambo! Besides, I always
think of closing the piano lid like putting a mute on the cello. It
doesn't make it *softer*, it just distorts the sound.
|
Ofra
Babe
Registered
User
(4/4/01 9:10:13 pm)
Reply |
Re: Top
down or up?
Whoops. Thought you meant something
else.
Edited by: Ofra
Babe at: 4/4/01 9:10:13 pm
|
Jon
Pegis
Registered
User
(4/5/01 9:32:03 am)
Reply |
Piano
lid
For me, it depends on the pianist,
the piano, and the repertoire. I guess the acoustics of the room
help as well. I always start with the lid up, but if I feel like I'm
not cutting through except on the A string, or if my pianist feels
like he/she can't ever play out, then we'll go with the short stick.
Some pianos actually sound pretty decent this way, others sound
muffled or dead.
One of the problems with playing with the full
stick (if you sit in front of the lid) is that all the sound behind
you makes you feel like you're not projecting even if you are. This
is one reason that some people like to sit on the "other" side of
the pianist. The last time I played a recital I compromised and sit
in line with the keyboard. This way I didn't have quite so much
sound behind me, and yet it was easy for me to be in touch with my
pianist.
Jon Pegis
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Paul
Tseng ICS Staff
Administrator
(4/5/01 12:22:19 pm)
Reply |
In
front or to the side?
So this point about where you sit in
relation to the piano is also a big deal. I've sat mostly to the
side of the pianist (similar to where a violinist would stand if
playing a sonata).
I've found what Jon says to be true
regarding getting an unrealistic perception of the balance when you
sit in front of the open lid of a piano.
On a side (no pun
intended) note, my pianist likes having me to the side a lot more
because she says she can hear me a lot better. So I think everyone
is happy with this arrangement and it makes playing with the top all
the way up easier.
Ofra Babe, I have to say, your remark was
pretty funny even after it was edited (not that I saw the original) 
Paul Tseng
My Website
Alexander's website
Free Cello Music!
|
G
M Stucka
Registered User
(4/5/01 1:19:56 pm)
Reply |
Lids
This is a very sensitive issue,
especially in my piano trio. No matter how sensitive a pianist may
be, competing with a 9 foot Steinway with the top all the way up is
rarely completely successful--in my experience. These pianos were
designed to be heard over full symphony orchestras!!
I wish
most pianos would have "mid-way" sticks because the lower stick
almost always causes a muffled sound. Mr. Steinway, are you looking
in on cello chat?????
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