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
MMD > Archives > August 1998 > 1998.08.15 > 18Prev  Next


Extra Keys on Big Grand Pianos
By Gary Rasmussen

You asked about extra keys on a big grand.  I believe Boesendorfer
is the only one that does this.  My mother used to sell Boesendorfers.
The story, as I understand it second-hand, goes something like this.

Someone wrote piano music that required more keys than a standard 88-
note piano.  Boesendorfer custom-manufactured a piano with extra keys
just for this application.   In order to accommodate the extra keys,
the sounding board had to be made larger.  The larger sounding board
sounded so much better that Boesendorfer decided to manufacture all of
their larger grands with the extra keys and larger sounding board.

I have seen some with the blacks and whites reversed as you observed.
I have seen others with a hinged block at the end of the keys that
folded over the extra keys.  With the block down, it looks fairly
conventional.  The block is folded up to access the extra keys.

Gary Rasmussen
5520 Homecrest Lane, Mason, Ohio   45040  (Cincinnati Area)
phone & fax (513) 336-6209

 [ I've seen two Boesendorfer concert grand styles: the smaller
 [ with 92 keys, and the Imperial Concert Grand with 97 keys extending
 [ the bass all way to lowwww "C" !  I'm told that the extra keys are
 [ in inverse color to alert the pianist, but I suspect it's mere
 [ "styling" to grab your attention when the piano appears on TV.
 [ The black hinged cover over the extra keys helps to make the keybed
 [ appear more normal (provided especially for anxious pianists!).
 [ I think Debussy and Ravel wrote pieces with extra, optional low-
 [ bass notes for added sonority.   -- Robbie


(Message sent Sat 15 Aug 1998, 13:16:02 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  Big, Extra, Grand, Keys, Pianos

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