"Richard Dain is a retired research engineer who developed the IC225 trains that hold the rail speed record for non-specialist track. He is also a nut farmer, amateur pianist, piano dealer and designer, and recital host. Based at Hurstwood Farm Piano Studios in Kent, England, Dain has designed and developed a bridge agraffe – a device to clamp the string to the bridge without causing down-bearing pressure on the sound board - and carbon-fibre sound board. Licensed in a partnership with Steingraeber & Söhne his designs are incorporated in the Steingraeber-Phoenix range of grand pianos. A Steingraeber-Phoenix E-272 with spruce sound board and finished in rare Santos Rosewood won the Bavarian state award for Innovation in the Arts in 2008. A CD by Eric Himy playing this piano was declared the best sound of piano ever recorded on CD by Audio Emporium in the USA. BBC Music magazine has made similar comment. A track from this CD will be played in the second program on January 24th."

Richard Dain sounds like a very interesting person. I remember when AJF (PW) wrote about visiting Hurstwood.

Brian, have you a recording of your piano?

quote:

Originally posted by lilylady:
"... ... Brian, have you a recording of your piano?

No am afraid I don't, have tried but never get a good result, the room leaves a lot to be desired...

However can post a recording of my Pianotech/Roland V-Piano, which due to my living situation am spending most time on right now, it is halfway OK...

Well it is getting to be that time of year again here down under, fiddling with a little sand and if you have talent you turn out something like this...

Philadelphia Flower Show 2008
This might be what you are meaning, Lilylady...?

On that Piano Flower theme again...

The photos of Hurstwood Farm and Richard Dain bring back memories. He must be nearly 90 years old?

I am tempted to visit again to play a 272 Phoenix and maybe compare it with a Stuart 290. And to play the 138 upright.
It's a 90 minute drive for me.

Thanks for posting the photos.

Phoenix Piano, Cobnuts - BBC 'FOOD FROM BRITAIN' TV program
"He played the piano in the walnut orchard and it was a magical scene."
http://www.cobnutoil.co.uk/new...etails.php?newsid=64

EINE KLEINE NACHTMUSIK - Piano, candlestick and bed

Piano At Christmas

Caey's piano player

Piano and Christmas decorations

The stockings were hung...

what's a beach without a ... white piano?

quote:

Originally posted by Brian Becroft:

Now *THIS* is what a grand piano *SHOULD* look like! Let's put this on the concert stage! No boring black for this boy...

A special photo that will temporarily make you forget how ridiculously annoying most people are.


Clearly Piano Keys should be cat biscuits...


Beau_sing_play and beau_on_piano
The pictures are rather big so link to them here, one of which Zorba posted back in 06 September 2005, titled "Cats rule, dogs drool!"
http://www.phyllisantiques.com...s/Beau_sing_play.jpg
http://www.phyllisantiques.com...es/beau_on_piano.jpg