# Rare Piano Destroyed During Move Is Now in ‘Piano Heaven’ (Hopefully)



## Eramire156

"Movers dropped Angela Hewitt's Fazioli concert grand piano - the only one of its kind in the world - as they were taking it out of a studio, the pianist announced this week. She said it was beyond salvaging."

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/12/arts/angela-hewitt-fazioli-piano.html


----------



## AeolianStrains

Ah, wow. This is the same piano she's used in all her recordings, too. That's awful.


----------



## fluteman

Eramire156 said:


> "Movers dropped Angela Hewitt's Fazioli concert grand piano - the only one of its kind in the world - as they were taking it out of a studio, the pianist announced this week. She said it was beyond salvaging."
> 
> https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/12/arts/angela-hewitt-fazioli-piano.html


Yes, but Fazioli, founded in 1979, is still very much in business making high-end, ultra-expensive pianos, and its founder, Paolo Fazioli, is still living. That F278 model doubtless is rare, but mainly because few order it -- or can afford it, or any other Fazioli piano, for that matter. It is sad that Ms. Hewitt's F278 apparently was damaged beyond repair, but no doubt it was insured, and surely she could order another one. So it isn't such a tragedy.

The myths that sometimes surround musical instruments often enter the realm of silliness.


----------



## mark6144

Hewitt has used it for all her recordings for the last 17 years. A sad loss indeed.



> Terence Lewis, co-owner of London's Jaques Samuel Pianos, who has supplied other Faziolis to Hewitt and spoke to her about the accident said the destruction of the piano was "like losing a limb".
> 
> He said: "Every single piano is different and you grow with them and they change as they age and you develop together. For a pianist at that level a piano becomes an extension of your body and that's why she dragged it around for her recordings."


https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/feb/11/virtuoso-mourns-beloved-150000-piano-smashed-by-movers

Also, Fazioli has said he will never make another F278 with 4 pedals.


----------



## fluteman

mark6144 said:


> Hewitt has used it for all her recordings for the last 17 years. A sad loss indeed.
> 
> https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/feb/11/virtuoso-mourns-beloved-150000-piano-smashed-by-movers
> 
> Also, Fazioli has said he will never make another F278 with 4 pedals.


I'm sorry, but in my opinion, both of those points are complete baloney. There is a lot of phony hype in the classical music world when it comes to instruments. Losing her uber-expensive, custom piano and having to wait for another one like it is no doubt a major frustration and inconvenience for a pianist like Ms. Hewitt. Her comments are totally understandable. But who is to say she won't like the replacement as much, or better? It's a piano, not King Arthur's holy grail.

And Fazioli's pronouncement that he will never make another F278 with four pedals? Unless there is some major technical issue (and there may well be), that will hold true right up until the day someone comes along willing to pay for one. Fazioli is known for catering to ultra-wealthy customers who want ultra-expensive bling that has little to do with musical or sound qualities (his family background was in the furniture business). It's hard to imagine he'd turn someone down who wants something that is genuinely related to sound quality and can pay for it.


----------



## AeolianStrains

fluteman said:


> I'm sorry, but in my opinion, both of those points are complete baloney.


I think you think people are making points that they are not. There is no instrument myth-making in this thread.


----------



## fluteman

AeolianStrains said:


> I think you think people are making points that they are not. There is no instrument myth-making in this thread.


OK, fair enough. My apologies, I love you all, kiss, kiss. It's really the NY Times article that annoys me. The excessive hype about Stradivari violins is bad enough, though there at least it is in part deserved. Stradivari was part of a great string instrument making tradition in 17th and 18th century Cremona, and due to his long life and career, produced a relatively large number of instruments. In the 19th century, many decided that his design was the best one for modern (i.e., 19th century) music, and it became a widely-copied standard.

The myth and mystery of the Strad was greatly assisted by the French dealer and violinist Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, who in the 1840s managed to acquire one of the finished but unsold violins remaining in Stradivari's workshop at his death that was still in excellent (but not entirely original and certainly not unplayed) condition. That became the world's most famous violin, nicknamed "The Messiah", and is in the collection of a museum in Oxford, England.

As I mentioned in another post, according to great violinists like Isaac Stern and Nathan Milstein, only the best Strads in the best condition are worth their high prices as musical instruments. In their view, Strads in poor or heavily modified condition are merely overpriced.

In contrast to all that, Fazioli is a contemporary furniture maker who turned to making pianos, often of exotic and beautiful woods, and often to the specific, customized requirements of ultra-wealthy customers, for sky-high prices. That is not to say his pianos are not also fine musical instruments. But the loss of one of his insured and replaceable pianos is hardly the same as the loss of a Stradivari violin, even if he has decided to stop making four-pedal models, much as he no doubt would be happy with the analogy.


----------



## mark6144

The maker, rarity, price or even quality of the piano are not what makes this a sad loss. It's simply that Hewitt lost an instrument she loved.


----------



## pianozach

fluteman said:


> I'm sorry, but in my opinion, both of those points are complete baloney. There is a lot of phony hype in the classical music world when it comes to instruments. Losing her uber-expensive, custom piano and having to wait for another one like it is no doubt a major frustration and inconvenience for a pianist like Ms. Hewitt. Her comments are totally understandable. But who is to say she won't like the replacement as much, or better? It's a piano, not King Arthur's holy grail.
> 
> And Fazioli's pronouncement that he will never make another F278 with four pedals? Unless there is some major technical issue (and there may well be), that will hold true right up until the day someone comes along willing to pay for one. Fazioli is known for catering to ultra-wealthy customers who want ultra-expensive bling that has little to do with musical or sound qualities (his family background was in the furniture business). It's hard to imagine he'd turn someone down who wants something that is genuinely related to sound quality and can pay for it.


I think you are missing some important points.

Her piano has been used on EVERY recording she's made for the last 17 years. She's also dragged it all over Europe with her for both recording sessions AND performances.

The extra pedal is an additional sostenuto pedal that works differently from a normal grand piano sostenuto pedal, which shifts the action to the right, so that the hammers hit only two of the three strings per note. This additional pedal moves the action (hammers) closer to the strings instead, making it easier to play fast and quiet passages easier to play.

There was a technical issue with making the only F278 with four pedals. I don't know the technical problems, but it's said it was a royal "pain in the a$$" to make, whatever that may mean.

So it may seem sentimental or emotional to you, but musicians can really get very attached to a particular instrument - it's an extension of their heart and soul.

She's had this beloved instrument for 17 years, longer than many people have spouses or pets.

Sure, it was very likely insured, and she's already got three Fazioli pianos waiting for her from which to choose. But it's still not as simple as that Saturday Night Live sketch "Dad Insurance", where the company sends over a replacement 'dad' should something happen to your real one.

As for your assertion that "Fazioli is known for catering to ultra-wealthy customers who want ultra-expensive bling that has little to do with musical or sound qualities", well, the best misinformation is crap that is wrapped in a truth. Yes, the pianos are expensive. They are all handmade, they don't just pop off an assembly line ready to go. They're not off-the-rack sports jackets. They're not high school plastic or pot-metal flutes that are passed from student to student every year, but live in a storage container during the summer.

And the musical/sound qualities and action are *EVERYTHING* to do with why he's in business. His pianos SOUND extraordinary. If they didn't sound great or play well, no one would be buying them.

You play flute? (I'm making an assumption based on your login name). If you're a professional musician you likely own the best flute you can afford, and you may be rather fond of it. But I'm guessing, even if you ARE a professional musician, that you are not an "A-lister" of Hewitt's stature (Her discography is in the dozens - several dozen: The list of her recordings on AMAZON takes up 9 pages of 15 releases per page). But I'll wager that you can appreciate the value of playing on a quality instrument.

She's not buying an expensive handmade custom Fazioli piano because of the 'hype' or 'cause she's prone to extravagance or "bling" pianos. She's not buying a piano because it's covered in sequins, or has cupholders, or doubles as an expresso machine. *No, she PERFORMED and RECORDED with it. For 17 YEARS.*

YOU can take your dispassionate and unempathetic dismissiveness to the back room of the animal control facility where they put strays down and store the carcasses in a freezer until they're picked up.


----------



## Vahe Sahakian

One of my favorite pianists, Igor Tchetuev, started his Beethoven sonata cycle on Caro Mitis label (SACD), unfortunately the label did not continue past vol-6, he used Fazioli piano for this cycle, both the recordings and performances are first rate, I was hoping to get my hands on LVB last three sonatas played by this artist, but it stopped short of late sonatas.


----------



## fluteman

pianozach said:


> I think you are missing some important points.
> 
> Her piano has been used on EVERY recording she's made for the last 17 years. She's also dragged it all over Europe with her for both recording sessions AND performances.
> 
> The extra pedal is an additional sostenuto pedal that works differently from a normal grand piano sostenuto pedal, which shifts the action to the right, so that the hammers hit only two of the three strings per note. This additional pedal moves the action (hammers) closer to the strings instead, making it easier to play fast and quiet passages easier to play.
> 
> There was a technical issue with making the only F278 with four pedals. I don't know the technical problems, but it's said it was a royal "pain in the a$$" to make, whatever that may mean.
> 
> So it may seem sentimental or emotional to you, but musicians can really get very attached to a particular instrument - it's an extension of their heart and soul.
> 
> She's had this beloved instrument for 17 years, longer than many people have spouses or pets.
> 
> Sure, it was very likely insured, and she's already got three Fazioli pianos waiting for her from which to choose. But it's still not as simple as that Saturday Night Live sketch "Dad Insurance", where the company sends over a replacement 'dad' should something happen to your real one.
> 
> As for your assertion that "Fazioli is known for catering to ultra-wealthy customers who want ultra-expensive bling that has little to do with musical or sound qualities", well, the best misinformation is crap that is wrapped in a truth. Yes, the pianos are expensive. They are all handmade, they don't just pop off an assembly line ready to go. They're not off-the-rack sports jackets. They're not high school plastic or pot-metal flutes that are passed from student to student every year, but live in a storage container during the summer.
> 
> And the musical/sound qualities and action are *EVERYTHING* to do with why he's in business. His pianos SOUND extraordinary. If they didn't sound great or play well, no one would be buying them.
> 
> You play flute? (I'm making an assumption based on your login name). If you're a professional musician you likely own the best flute you can afford, and you may be rather fond of it. But I'm guessing, even if you ARE a professional musician, that you are not an "A-lister" of Hewitt's stature (Her discography is in the dozens - several dozen: The list of her recordings on AMAZON takes up 9 pages of 15 releases per page). But I'll wager that you can appreciate the value of playing on a quality instrument.
> 
> She's not buying an expensive handmade custom Fazioli piano because of the 'hype' or 'cause she's prone to extravagance or "bling" pianos. She's not buying a piano because it's covered in sequins, or has cupholders, or doubles as an expresso machine. *No, she PERFORMED and RECORDED with it. For 17 YEARS.*
> 
> YOU can take your dispassionate and unempathetic dismissiveness to the back room of the animal control facility where they put strays down and store the carcasses in a freezer until they're picked up.


I liked your post despite your rather colorful final sentence (which I also enjoyed, actually). As I said above, I can empathize (as well as sympathize) with Ms. Hewitt for losing her piano. After many years and many thousands of hours playing the same instrument, having to suddenly start with a new one must be a bit of a shock. That would be true whether it was a Fazioli, a Steinway, a Bosendorfer, or even a -gasp- Baldwin. (Earl Wild, whom I once had the pleasure of meeting, once had a bad experience with Steinway's customer service while on tour and played a Baldwin from then on. He was a very nice guy, but didn't take kindly to being treated disrespectfully.)

No doubt Fazioli would like their instruments to be known as the "Strad" of pianos, especially at their astronomical prices, and it's true some top pro pianists play them. But pianos aren't like violins, which reputedly can improve with age. A piano only deteriorates with age, and parts must be replaced, until finally, pretty much everything must go except for the cast iron frame or "harp" and the case (and legs and lid), if they have been well-maintained. A well-reputed maker and restorer told me a piano's maximum life span is about 75 years. It's no accident that nearly all pro performers want a brand new piano, not a vintage one.

So while I'm a big fan of Ms. Hewitt and sorry for the loss of her piano, I can't feel too sorry. Soon she will have another brand new Fazioli (assuming negotiations with her insurer, the moving company's insurer, etc., go well) and I look forward to hearing her use it on her 18th album. And btw, I notice Stuart & Sons, another high-end, ultra-expensive piano maker, offers the fourth pedal. And there are other smaller high-end custom makers who doubtless do it, too, though I wonder how important that is to her.

Finally, playing the piano as well as the flute myself, of course I want the best instruments I can afford, as you say. But once you have a good quality instrument that's a good fit for you, there really is no holy grail, even if you spend big money. The magic in Angela Hewitt's playing doesn't come from a special piano, it comes from her, as she is a special pianist.


----------



## pianozach

fluteman said:


> I liked your post despite your rather colorful final sentence (which I also enjoyed, actually). As I said above, I can empathize (as well as sympathize) with Ms. Hewitt for losing her piano. After many years and many thousands of hours playing the same instrument, having to suddenly start with a new one must be a bit of a shock. That would be true whether it was a Fazioli, a Steinway, a Bosendorfer, or even a -gasp- Baldwin. (Earl Wild, whom I once had the pleasure of meeting, once had a bad experience with Steinway's customer service while on tour and played a Baldwin from then on. He was a very nice guy, but didn't take kindly to being treated disrespectfully.)
> 
> No doubt Fazioli would like their instruments to be known as the "Strad" of pianos, especially at their astronomical prices, and it's true some top pro pianists play them. But pianos aren't like violins, which reputedly can improve with age. A piano only deteriorates with age, and parts must be replaced, until finally, pretty much everything must go except for the cast iron frame or "harp" and the case (and legs and lid), if they have been well-maintained. A well-reputed maker and restorer told me a piano's maximum life span is about 75 years. It's no accident that nearly all pro performers want a brand new piano, not a vintage one.
> 
> So while I'm a big fan of Ms. Hewitt and sorry for the loss of her piano, I can't feel too sorry. Soon she will have another brand new Fazioli (assuming negotiations with her insurer, the moving company's insurer, etc., go well) and I look forward to hearing her use it on her 18th album. And btw, I notice Stuart & Sons, another high-end, ultra-expensive piano maker, offers the fourth pedal. And there are other smaller high-end custom makers who doubtless do it, too, though I wonder how important that is to her.
> 
> Finally, playing the piano as well as the flute myself, of course I want the best instruments I can afford, as you say. But once you have a good quality instrument that's a good fit for you, there really is no holy grail, even if you spend big money. The magic in Angela Hewitt's playing doesn't come from a special piano, it comes from her, as she is a special pianist.


Thank you. I enjoyed that last sentence as well. It's nice when a mini-rant has an ending you can really stick a fork into.

Gawd, I really miss my *Baldwin* baby grand.

It went dancing during the Northridge quake, bashing in a wall 6 feet away, then dancing back to the center of the room, and the change in the action gave it a completely different feel. Knowing how it played previously, the new stiff action made it an unhappy piano, like a complete personality change, or brain damage.


----------



## fluteman

pianozach said:


> Thank you. I enjoyed that last sentence as well. It's nice when a mini-rant has an ending you can really stick a fork into.
> 
> Gawd, I really miss my *Baldwin* baby grand.
> 
> It went dancing during the Northridge quake, bashing in a wall 6 feet away, then dancing back to the center of the room, and the change in the action gave it a completely different feel. Knowing how it played previously, the new stiff action made it an unhappy piano, like a complete personality change, or brain damage.


Gosh, I can't hit "like" for that post. Having your piano ruined in an earthquake? That's just bad news, I'm truly sorry. I hope your loss was covered by insurance with a separate musical instrument policy or rider. But the ones we should feel most sorry for are the cellists who must leave their instruments in the custody of commercial airlines. This was a depressing story a couple of years ago involving a 17th-century viola da gamba, but with a happy ending a year later:
https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/alitalia-viola-da-gamba-statement/


----------



## Guest

This was also discussed on the “bizarre news” thread. The forth pedal changes the distance between the action and the strings, supposedly changing the volume without changing the tone, as the damper pedal does. Fizoli now only offers the forth pedal on the largest piano, and not on the smaller one that Hewitt used, although they did in the past. Seems arbitrary that they now refuse to offer this feature on the smaller piano. Seems like a slap in the face to Hewitt, who routinely promotes Fazoli. I hope she goes back to Steinway, whose sound I prefer, based on the recordings, at least.


----------



## Enthusiast

The story of Hewitt's piano was followed by some others about musicians who had lost their beloved instrument through damage on 'planes. One was about cellist Lynn Harrell, who didn't lose his cello but was penalised by Delta for claiming air miles for his cello which he always booked a seat for (not wanting to trust the airline with it in the hold). I seem to remember (but might have mixed it up with other stories about musicians who had experienced tragic losses) that he claimed it was like a wife or child but that he had now had an exact copy made and had sold the original for $1 million.


----------



## fluteman

Enthusiast said:


> The story of Hewitt's piano was followed by some others about musicians who had lost their beloved instrument through damage on 'planes. One was about cellist Lynn Harrell, who didn't lose his cello but was penalised by Delta for claiming air miles for his cello which he always booked a seat for (not wanting to trust the airline with it in the hold). I seem to remember (but might have mixed it up with other stories about musicians who had experienced tragic losses) that he claimed it was like a wife or child but that he had now had an exact copy made and had sold the original for $1 million.


Lynn Harrell isn't the only top professional to switch to a contemporary instrument. The German violinist Christian Tetzlaff famously switched from a Strad to a violin by Stefan-Peter Greiner, a contemporary German maker. Of course, Mr. Greiner is a top name in the world of contemporary makers, but last I heard, even his violins cost well south of $100K. And many pro string players use a much cheaper "replica" on the road, outdoors, or whenever there is an especially great danger of loss or damage.

Edit: And it seems crazy to me that Mr. Harrell can't get credit for the additional miles earned from paying for two seats. Why should he even have to try to pretend the second seat was for his wife or child? SMH.


----------



## Enthusiast

^ He amassed quite a lot of air miles for his brother "Cello Harrell" but Delta took them all away and his own air miles as well for trying to "cheat them". He claims airmiles for his cello from other airlines without a problem and now boycotts Delta. At least this is the news story that I read.


----------

