# Use of the upright piano



## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

It just occurred to me to wonder: is the upright piano ever used in "serious" or professional classical music, either because a composer specified it, or perhaps because, due to circumstances, a concert grand is not available? Anyone knows? Any comments about the merits of the upright versus the grand?


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Sam and my mother used it, so it's A-okay.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

The only instance I can think of is in Act III of Wozzeck, where, after the protagonist murders his wife, he runs into a tavern where there's a beat-up old piano playing (the composer specifies that it should be out of tune). There are probably more examples out there.


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

And here's one Paul Barton in a very neat performance of a Rachmaninov prelude:






I actually rather like the slightly muted sound, compared to a grand. Perhaps in performances of Classical era violin and cello sonatas, an upright might be a good idea, to prevent the piano from completely drowning out the bowed instruments?

The problem is of course that most of the time when we run into an upright piano, it is one that is standing in someone's sitting room, where it has been standing fro three decades without being tuned or maintained. One could be excused for thinking an upright's sound is horrid. 

Perhaps if properly tuned and maintained, it is an acceptable substitute for a grand, at least in chamber music? Or perhaps even Classical period concerti?


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## QuietGuy (Mar 1, 2014)

The last movement of Bernstein's _Symphony #2 (Age of Anxiety)_ specifies an upright piano tucked away in the orchestra (second to the soloist up front.) And the Honky Tonk interlude in Copland's _Rodeo_ is played on an upright.


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

So why doesn't anyone write a little chamber concertino for the upright? It would be cute.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Upright people play upright pianos. Upright people who are also uptight refuse to play Giraffes (which are upright).


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

I believe Aaron Copland calls for a saloon-style upright piano in the ballet Rodeo, and it has a fiery solo in the "Ranch House Party" portion of the ballet. I think it's supposed to be slightly out of tune as well, just as many an old saloon piano is.

In any case, whenever an upright piano is used in the orchestra, it should always be placed down left on the stage.


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## mikey (Nov 26, 2013)

I think the opening bar scene in Porgy uses an upright.
Brett Dean has written a piece for Violin and piano where at least 1 mov utilizes an upright. (from memory)


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## spradlig (Jul 25, 2012)

Gershwin's _Porgy and Bess_ employs a piano, and it does not sound like a grand piano. It has a "honky tonk" sound. Sorry I can't be more specific. Even trusty old wikipedia was no help this morning.


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## Rhythm (Nov 2, 2013)

Hi there, spradlig.  I found another.

Hugo Weisgall composed a three act opera, Six Characters in Search of an Author, that was orchestrated with an upright piano on stage.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Just remembered - Peter Maxwell Davies's opera, The Lighthouse, features an out-of-tune upright on one of three songs sung by the doomed lighthouse keepers.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Check this out: Shostakovich recording himself with another pianist on 2 uprights (I assume that perhaps financial/location constraints limited their use to only uprights, since it sounds like it's not just 1 piano 4-hands). Probably not his ideal, but it's still really cool:


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