Wow, how did that happen?

Bizarre . . .

This one has had an aquarium built into it...

I saw this piano with 8 pedals at the Victoria and Albert Museum. I would consider it one of the first "prepared" pianos in history. The extra pedals would have different levers rest against the strings to create the sounds of bells and drums.

Object Grand piano Date ca. 1820

Techniques Pinewood case, veneered with mahogany on the outside and satinwood on the inside; gilt highlighting and ormolu mounts and pedals; painted lid and nameboard

Artist/designer Haschka, Georg

Place Vienna (city), Austria
Dimensions Length 230.5 cm
Width 119.4 cm
Height 86.4 cm

Museum Number 460-1907

Pianos made in Vienna from about 1800 were prized for their sweet tone and light action. They were often fitted, as this one is, with a number of pedals,which activated special musical effects such as drums and bells, used in popular arrangements of martial music. This piano was made between about 1815 and 1820 by Georg Haschka (1772-1828), who owned a small workshop in Vienna. It was later the property of Sir William Quiller Orchardson R.A. (1832-1910), an eminent Scottish painter, who included it in his picture, A Tender Chord.

Here you go.

Awwwwwww....

It's so cute!

Brrrriiiiiing..... Briiiiiinnnnng...

"Hello, I have a party this weekend and was wondering if you could come by and tune the piano. No, It's been a long time since it was tuned, how much do you charge? Oh, that much? There seems to be some problems with the things that go up and down, will that matter?"

Poor thing - put it out of its misery!

Or another artistic interpretation:

there's lots more. i'll save some for later.

quote:

Originally posted by rontuner:

OMG Ron!!! Tell me it isn't true!! That thing is could be featured in a pianists' Horror Movie.

Elena
http://www.pianofourhands.com

Great pics, Pique! Did they put a prism up against the light?

Elena
http://www.pianofourhands.com

Pique,

That looks like it's a hologram of Mozart's piano.

Joe

quote:

Originally posted by EHpianist:

quote:

Originally posted by piqué:
yes, joe, it's a hologram. i thought it was a clever way for them to segue from the physics exhibit to the piano exhibit.

I'm SUCH a flake! I should have known that...

Elena
http://www.pianofourhands.com

OK Elena where DO you get those emotives?

Pique, those photos are wonderful!! You said all those pianos are kept performance ready, can visitors play them? Or do they periodically have concerts? I would love to visit that place, a little far though