What a terrific performance of Beethoven, and Liszt on this 1875 Erard. If other comments haven't mentioned, Erard is arguably one of the greatest pianos ever built in history. Having an original Erard is absolutely rare beyond explanation. Famed composers like Ravel, Debussy, Faure, Satie, Saint Saens, Guilmant, Wagner, Beethoven, Liszt, Chopin, Poulenc, Mendelssohn, Haydn, and too many countless others owned or performed exclusively on Erard pianos. Steinway, Bosendorfer, Yamaha, and other similar brands do not even compare. Fun fact: did you know that Erard pianos have the ability to replicate the sound of water? On TH-cam there is a recording of Ravel on an 1875 Erard playing "Une barque sur l'ocean" or translated "a boat on the ocean" themed on water exclusively for Erard. This is one countless examples of "water" composition that Ravel, and others have composed. Saint-Saens did a composition themed on water called "aquarium" another terrific example. No other brand of piano has the ability to create that watery sound quite like the Erard pianos can, when you listen to the recordings done on an Erard you will never want to play a Steinway ever again.
Can't go wrong with Beethoven and Liszt; especially when one gets a wonderful mini-concert from you, Mr. Estrin. How nice for someone to have such a wonderful representation of musical history in their home. Wouldn't it be nice to know who played all these pianos? I think when someone gets a piano, they should keep a journal with the piano, and whoever plays it should sign the book . . . sort of like a guest signing-in at a wedding reception. Thank you again for presenting such a lovely piano in its best possible light. Always a pleasure!
Wow, this piano sounds fantastic. I can give or take pre 20th century pianos sometimes, but this sounds amazing; retro and with so much character, without too much of the twang you usually get with old pianos
I don't know much of Pianos but The Piano Tuner novel by Daniel Mason introduced me to the Grand Erard and it's the reason I am here to see it and listen to it. Thank you. Such a wondrrful playing and great piano and definitely wished if I could own one. ♡
I love this kind of pianos. Recently I bought a straight strung upright german piano from 1875, It really needs restoring but the sound I get is worth it
Seriously, I have listened to so many of your pianos and this is the best. I am not easily impressed by modern pianos. I think the Steinway artist marketing program through the 20th c lead to a false impression of the merits of Steinway (New York) pianos. This combined with the louder faster school of piano competitions has corrupted piano scale design and voicing. Interestingly, the only other piano that has impressed me to this extent turned out to be a Pleyel. As soon as the artist started playing I knew it was special and moreover that the artist had bonded with the piano. I later came across a video showing her selecting that piano, and discovered that my impressions were spot on. The 9'4" Mason and Hamlin was close though. It too was old!
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It's wonderful to read your comment. I am also bored by the steinway marketing, none of their pianos ever touched me, to play or listen. I agree the modern playing is faster, faster, faster, but with no soul ! Pleyel has something others don't have, a perfect balance between light and dark in their sound, my personal piano is a Pleyel model 3 (204 cm) and I'll die with it ! I don't know as much Erard but for sure they are part of piano history.
What a beauty. Thank you for showing us so many pianos, especially rare pianos like this. Thank you for the history lessons. And thank you for the performances. Your videos are a gift and treasure to the piano World.
I had a somewhat earlier version of this grand when I was growing up. The sound was more "Romantic". Unfortunately someone had removed the beautiful legs and made the lyre straight!!! I miss that piano!
I have a wonderful recording of Charles Valentin Alkan music recorded by Vincenzo Maltempo (unfortunate name for a pianist!) on an Erard of about this age that sounds very like this instrument. What a beautiful tone. I love the way the delicate sounds die on these nineteenth century pianos. There is a magnificent sonority to these instruments. Not quite as grand a sound as with the modern piano and more intimate.
Those white ivory keys are remarkably white. Ivory turns a honey colour with age. The low notes sound full and live unlike the modern Steinway low notes which when played loud sound vulgar and aggressive. Great performance. This sounds so beautiful on such a superb piano. The world would benefit with more re-pros of these older pianos being made. They are less vulgar and more musicaly attractive.
A 150 piece of wood and metal furniture probably would not look so good, at minimum there would be a bit of dry rot or finish issues. I suspect the piano has been reconditioned maybe extensively it would be interesting to know what has gone into the instrument which is OK for a mechanical object you play. Maybe a chair on the antiques road show it's a plus if it is untouched but something I actually planned to use like a piano that would not be a plus, it's like getting an all original Model-T it probably wouldn't even run.
not really...its neither an advantage or disadvantage from a playing standpoint, buy they can be more tricky to replace damper felts which generally is something yoy do once every 60 to 80 years so...just a different design
Wow, the action must be the celebrated Erard double escapement, first patented in 1822! It's rare to get a glimpse of it on a real piano, usually all you can get are drawings, like this one: www.pianos.de/UserFiles/Image/das_instrument/geschichte/19_jahrhundert/1808_erardmechanik.jpg You can see the unusual dampers which were unique to Erard.
Dear Robert, Congratulations for you as pianist and as collector os this Erard, a true work of art and excellent instrument. As you played the 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody of Franz Liszt, I had the impression, that you must have some hungarian blood running in your veins. I was born in Hungary in 1940 and the Concert Grand Piano Steinway & Sons No 182 ( Patent Action Braunschweig-New York) made for the Pianist and Regent Comte Hans von Bülow,, husband of Cosima Liszt, doughter of Franz Liszt and Comtesse DÁgoult, (whose signature is on the soundboard of the piano), is in our family since many decades. The piano, made in Brazilian Rosewood (Dalbergia Nigra) was prepared for Hans von Bülow in1860 in Braunscweig Germany, using the patents of the Steinway family , If you are interested in the history of this piano for your records , I have the documents of the history of this piano, and can send them for your bibliothek. ev-follmann@bol.com.br 55 11 4604-3394. Yours, Dr.-Ing Eugenio Victor Follmann
Almost all real ivory keys are made in two parts. The key itself is wooden and it has a fine sheet of ivory on top cut that way, in three pieces, two at the top and one at the front
He actually explains the answer to this in another video. That line you see is one potential way of trying to determine if the keys are authentic ivory.
To safe material. Cutting a block of ivory in little rectangular pieces and glue the together safes more material than cutting larger rectabgular pieces covering the whole key and then cutting out (and throwing away) the holender the black keys
Man, I'm picky as Hell about my taste, and I gotta say, your playing is actually incredibly tasteful. Screw it, record your own album of these Beethoven sonatas, I'd listen to them. And I listen to people like Backhaus, Kempff, Schnabel.
Erards are very nice pianos, although maybe its the recording but this one sound a bit too sharp, maybe the hammers are too modern ? Anyway it would be nice to hear some Saint-Saens on this piano or Grieg, which would be more time appropriate then Beethoven, his Erard sounded completely different.
I quite agree, perhaps not on Grieg, as he owned a Blüthner with patent action and aliquot scaling (as I do) which is a very different instrument all together. I also wondered if the strings on this Erard are right: importantly, beside the scaling, the alloy and the key weigthing to original standards. And finally our host's touch, which doesn't seem appropriate for this kind of instrument: way too heavy, by no means French. What was meant by 'English action'? This double escapement was invented by no one less than Erard himself! Once I owned an Erard of 1874, so I can tell. Beethoven, of course, never could have known such an instrument, but Liszt would have played Beethoven on it. An Erard is probably very rare in the US, however not really so on the old continent. Still, a nice presentation for the American market, I guess. Cheers, Willem (Belgium)
This is an extremely difficult piece. You have to constantly work at pieces like this to play then well. Just “whipping” it out from memory to play for someone is no good if you haven’t been actively focused on the music for some time before
Hola buenastardes señor profesor de la cultura grande le consulto desde mi pais argentina ya que compartimos la gran debilidad por lo que significa el piano al no hablar ingles no puedo comprender lo que usted dice sobre ese piano erard ya que yo estoy interesado en uno igual a ese que venden aca quisiera saber si ese instrumento puede funcionar medianamente bien debido a sus años ya de vida tambien las cuerdas tienen una posicion recta en el arpa no cruzadas como los mejores pianos que son los alemanes tambien la maquina debe tener un funcionamiento complicado luego fue evolucionando lei alguna vez que ya no se pueden afinar por la posicion recta de las cuerdas y el arpa tampoco tiene refuerzos yo tengo un c bechtein de cola pero su funcionamiento no es bueno lo compre en una casa de venta de pianos pero me han embromado funciono poco tiempo se desafino rapido tampoco tiene buen toque no permite expresar con sensiibilidad y tambien le falta color a las notas seran los martillos en el momento no me di cuenta cuando lo compre lo han desarmado completo yha faltado conocimiento para su complejo armado hace 4años que estoy sin trabajo era repositor de un supermercado por no haber estudiado a su tiempo ya paso gran parte de la vida tengo 54 años y un vicio muy caro el piano el pais esta muy mal la politica aca es muy corrupta ya no hay trabajo para la gente grande eso te genera desesperacion no se que voy a hacer bueno no lo molesto mas y espero su respuesta oanalisis sobre el piano erad de cola vendiendo un autito viejo lo podria comprar ese plano frances es mucho mas barato que uno aleman el mio me habia costado 10000 dolares y no esta para tocar yo no podria llevarlo a desarmar para armarlo correctamente saldria muy caro y me podran joder otra vez bueno un fuerte abrazo saludos y gracias
Erard made a piano that sounds great even after 2016 minus 1875 = 141 years ! Top quality materials and top quality design combined. Thats whats makes ERARD the greatest piano builder of all times. Robert with all due respect; its not "Irrraarrr" butErard. A little more respect for French prunanciation would be nice. Rembember also that it is not Booz and durf urh
And Robert, just when, in your opinion, did Bechstein relent and go over to repetition actions? In this video (that surely you've seen many times) the 1899 Bechstein has a Steinway-like butterfly spring set of wippens. I labor this point as you seemed to imply that the Berlin company continued to use modified Viennese actions into the 20th century. Bluthner, yes. Bechstein, no.
This is obviously not an Erard in pristine condition but a completely restored grand piano. It seems to be skilfully done. Good that the original damper felt was kept. Modern damperfelt is of completely different make and creates ugly overtones on an instrument like this.
What a terrific performance of Beethoven, and Liszt on this 1875 Erard. If other comments haven't mentioned, Erard is arguably one of the greatest pianos ever built in history. Having an original Erard is absolutely rare beyond explanation. Famed composers like Ravel, Debussy, Faure, Satie, Saint Saens, Guilmant, Wagner, Beethoven, Liszt, Chopin, Poulenc, Mendelssohn, Haydn, and too many countless others owned or performed exclusively on Erard pianos. Steinway, Bosendorfer, Yamaha, and other similar brands do not even compare. Fun fact: did you know that Erard pianos have the ability to replicate the sound of water? On TH-cam there is a recording of Ravel on an 1875 Erard playing "Une barque sur l'ocean" or translated "a boat on the ocean" themed on water exclusively for Erard. This is one countless examples of "water" composition that Ravel, and others have composed. Saint-Saens did a composition themed on water called "aquarium" another terrific example. No other brand of piano has the ability to create that watery sound quite like the Erard pianos can, when you listen to the recordings done on an Erard you will never want to play a Steinway ever again.
Can't go wrong with Beethoven and Liszt; especially when one gets a wonderful mini-concert from you, Mr. Estrin. How nice for someone to have such a wonderful representation of musical history in their home. Wouldn't it be nice to know who played all these pianos? I think when someone gets a piano, they should keep a journal with the piano, and whoever plays it should sign the book . . . sort of like a guest signing-in at a wedding reception.
Thank you again for presenting such a lovely piano in its best possible light. Always a pleasure!
We have a lot to thank Erard for. A great contributor to the evolution of the piano.
These concert Erard pianos are a whole musical universe in themselves, still with us to bring back forgotten aspects of the romantic repertoire
Well Sébastien Erard just invented the double escape action. He was close friend of Lizt who was asking constantly for piano improvement.
god I love fortepianos, such a rich sound.
Wow it sounds amazing. And thank you for playing the piece much longer than your usual videos!! You are an amazing pianist and host!!
Wow, this piano sounds fantastic. I can give or take pre 20th century pianos sometimes, but this sounds amazing; retro and with so much character, without too much of the twang you usually get with old pianos
absolutely sublime sound...great playing too
Absolutely gorgeous sound.
Lovely piano! Thanks for putting this up here.
I don't know much of Pianos but The Piano Tuner novel by Daniel Mason introduced me to the Grand Erard and it's the reason I am here to see it and listen to it. Thank you. Such a wondrrful playing and great piano and definitely wished if I could own one. ♡
WOW, LOVE IT!!! AMAZING SOUND!
Beautiful instrument. Great video as always.
Beautiful piano!!
Made in 1875 and in pristine condition with beautiful soulful sounds. I'm soooo very pleased and impressed. Thank you so much for the love.
Hi Carl - are you now the owner of the Erard piano in this video?!?
I love this kind of pianos. Recently I bought a straight strung upright german piano from 1875, It really needs restoring but the sound I get is worth it
I'm living vicariously through this channel.......I sure wish I would have paid more attention in class piano in music school.
Me too.
What an incredible sound! Perfect for Beethoven and Liszt!
I would love an Erard.
sounds so good my antique grand piano has steel bass strings and leather hammers.
You seemed extra inspired to play this piano. Your usual performances are very good, but this one went up a notch.
Thanks for this fun discussion!
Seriously, I have listened to so many of your pianos and this is the best. I am not easily impressed by modern pianos. I think the Steinway artist marketing program through the 20th c lead to a false impression of the merits of Steinway (New York) pianos. This combined with the louder faster school of piano competitions has corrupted piano scale design and voicing. Interestingly, the only other piano that has impressed me to this extent turned out to be a Pleyel. As soon as the artist started playing I knew it was special and moreover that the artist had bonded with the piano. I later came across a video showing her selecting that piano, and discovered that my impressions were spot on.
The 9'4" Mason and Hamlin was close though. It too was old!
It's wonderful to read your comment.
I am also bored by the steinway marketing, none of their pianos ever touched me, to play or listen.
I agree the modern playing is faster, faster, faster, but with no soul !
Pleyel has something others don't have, a perfect balance between light and dark in their sound, my personal piano is a Pleyel model 3 (204 cm) and I'll die with it !
I don't know as much Erard but for sure they are part of piano history.
Note the bolt-in capo d'astro bar, still used by Bosendorfer to this day
Sounds unique to play jazz with this
Bravo!!
What a beauty.
Thank you for showing us so many pianos, especially rare pianos like this. Thank you for the history lessons. And thank you for the performances. Your videos are a gift and treasure to the piano World.
In The Philippines There Is An Erard Grand Piano In The Aguinaldo Shrine In Cavite
I had a somewhat earlier version of this grand when I was growing up. The sound was more "Romantic". Unfortunately someone had removed the beautiful legs and made the lyre straight!!! I miss that piano!
I have a wonderful recording of Charles Valentin Alkan music recorded by Vincenzo Maltempo (unfortunate name for a pianist!) on an Erard of about this age that sounds very like this instrument. What a beautiful tone. I love the way the delicate sounds die on these nineteenth century pianos. There is a magnificent sonority to these instruments. Not quite as grand a sound as with the modern piano and more intimate.
Do you like Debussy? He's my favorite composer but i don't see his work that much here. Beethoven is nice too!
The underdamped grand action in Erard pianos here in the Uk is not unusual. I have seen at least 6.
...it is usual on every Erard concert piano of that time.
Those white ivory keys are remarkably white. Ivory turns a honey colour with age.
The low notes sound full and live unlike the modern Steinway low notes which when played loud sound vulgar and aggressive.
Great performance. This sounds so beautiful on such a superb piano. The world would benefit with more re-pros of these older pianos being made. They are less vulgar and more musicaly attractive.
A 150 piece of wood and metal furniture probably would not look so good, at minimum there would be a bit of dry rot or finish issues. I suspect the piano has been reconditioned maybe extensively it would be interesting to know what has gone into the instrument which is OK for a mechanical object you play. Maybe a chair on the antiques road show it's a plus if it is untouched but something I actually planned to use like a piano that would not be a plus, it's like getting an all original Model-T it probably wouldn't even run.
I need that piano in my life! Nothing like playing Beethoven and Liszt on a piano which came from their time!
really great playing btw.... i know im a few years late, but you play like a champ
Period instrument indeed.
Mimha nossa sempre sonho ter ese pianoa
why does it have underdampers? Is this an Advantage compared with dampers OVER the strings?
not really...its neither an advantage or disadvantage from a playing standpoint, buy they can be more tricky to replace damper felts which generally is something yoy do once every 60 to 80 years so...just a different design
@@boblon5693 Easier to replace strings . . .
Wow, the action must be the celebrated Erard double escapement, first patented in 1822! It's rare to get a glimpse of it on a real piano, usually all you can get are drawings, like this one:
www.pianos.de/UserFiles/Image/das_instrument/geschichte/19_jahrhundert/1808_erardmechanik.jpg
You can see the unusual dampers which were unique to Erard.
Stefano Canzian Even I can't believe I'm watching an Erard being played ..Had only read about it :)
Does this Erard have narrower keys/octaves than those on a modern pianos?
Did Daniel Barenboim maybe get the idea for his straight strung piano here?
Dear Robert, Congratulations for you as pianist and as collector os this Erard, a true work of art and excellent instrument. As you played the 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody of Franz Liszt, I had the impression, that you must have some hungarian blood running in your veins. I was born in Hungary in 1940 and the Concert Grand Piano Steinway & Sons No 182 ( Patent Action Braunschweig-New York) made for the Pianist and Regent Comte Hans von Bülow,, husband of Cosima Liszt, doughter of Franz Liszt and Comtesse DÁgoult, (whose signature is on the soundboard of the piano), is in our family since many decades. The piano, made in Brazilian Rosewood (Dalbergia Nigra) was prepared for Hans von Bülow in1860 in Braunscweig Germany, using the patents of the Steinway family , If you are interested in the history of this piano for your records , I have the documents of the history of this piano, and can send them for your bibliothek. ev-follmann@bol.com.br 55 11 4604-3394. Yours, Dr.-Ing Eugenio Victor Follmann
Why are the ivory plates on keys cut in half?
They were like this on this era's Erard concert piano.
Almost all real ivory keys are made in two parts. The key itself is wooden and it has a fine sheet of ivory on top cut that way, in three pieces, two at the top and one at the front
He actually explains the answer to this in another video. That line you see is one potential way of trying to determine if the
keys are authentic ivory.
To safe material. Cutting a block of ivory in little rectangular pieces and glue the together safes more material than cutting larger rectabgular pieces covering the whole key and then cutting out (and throwing away) the holender the black keys
Cuz they are
Some shades of harpsicord? Given its old age.
Why are its dampers UNDER the strings, not ABOVE them?
these damper systems were not used by Erard on their concert piano of that time.
Ok, but why go against gravity?
With those elbow patches, I’ll believe anything this guy says.
what is the piece's name? I forgot it.
Man, I'm picky as Hell about my taste, and I gotta say, your playing is actually incredibly tasteful.
Screw it, record your own album of these Beethoven sonatas, I'd listen to them. And I listen to people like Backhaus, Kempff, Schnabel.
Those kicks tho
Erards are very nice pianos, although maybe its the recording but this one sound a bit too sharp, maybe the hammers are too modern ? Anyway it would be nice to hear some Saint-Saens on this piano or Grieg, which would be more time appropriate then Beethoven, his Erard sounded completely different.
I quite agree, perhaps not on Grieg, as he owned a Blüthner with patent action and aliquot scaling (as I do) which is a very different instrument all together. I also wondered if the strings on this Erard are right: importantly, beside the scaling, the alloy and the key weigthing to original standards. And finally our host's touch, which doesn't seem appropriate for this kind of instrument: way too heavy, by no means French. What was meant by 'English action'? This double escapement was invented by no one less than Erard himself! Once I owned an Erard of 1874, so I can tell. Beethoven, of course, never could have known such an instrument, but Liszt would have played Beethoven on it. An Erard is probably very rare in the US, however not really so on the old continent. Still, a nice presentation for the American market, I guess. Cheers, Willem (Belgium)
sounds like a fortepiano
I think the first mov of the Pathetique was almost a bit too much for Robert :)
sounds like his hands are too small to play a lot of it.
This is an extremely difficult piece. You have to constantly work at pieces like this to play then well. Just “whipping” it out from memory to play for someone is no good if you haven’t been actively focused on the music for some time before
Hola buenastardes señor profesor de la cultura grande le consulto desde mi pais argentina ya que compartimos la gran debilidad por lo que significa el piano al no hablar ingles no puedo comprender lo que usted dice sobre ese piano erard ya que yo estoy interesado en uno igual a ese que venden aca quisiera saber si ese instrumento puede funcionar medianamente bien debido a sus años ya de vida tambien las cuerdas tienen una posicion recta en el arpa no cruzadas como los mejores pianos que son los alemanes tambien la maquina debe tener un funcionamiento complicado luego fue evolucionando lei alguna vez que ya no se pueden afinar por la posicion recta de las cuerdas y el arpa tampoco tiene refuerzos yo tengo un c bechtein de cola pero su funcionamiento no es bueno lo compre en una casa de venta de pianos pero me han embromado funciono poco tiempo se desafino rapido tampoco tiene buen toque no permite expresar con sensiibilidad y tambien le falta color a las notas seran los martillos en el momento no me di cuenta cuando lo compre lo han desarmado completo yha faltado conocimiento para su complejo armado hace 4años que estoy sin trabajo era repositor de un supermercado por no haber estudiado a su tiempo ya paso gran parte de la vida tengo 54 años y un vicio muy caro el piano el pais esta muy mal la politica aca es muy corrupta ya no hay trabajo para la gente grande eso te genera desesperacion no se que voy a hacer bueno no lo molesto mas y espero su respuesta oanalisis sobre el piano erad de cola vendiendo un autito viejo lo podria comprar ese plano frances es mucho mas barato que uno aleman el mio me habia costado 10000 dolares y no esta para tocar yo no podria llevarlo a desarmar para armarlo correctamente saldria muy caro y me podran joder otra vez bueno un fuerte abrazo saludos y gracias
Erard made a piano that sounds great even after 2016 minus 1875 = 141 years ! Top quality materials and top quality design combined. Thats whats makes ERARD the greatest piano builder of all times. Robert with all due respect; its not "Irrraarrr" butErard. A little more respect for French prunanciation would be nice. Rembember also that it is not Booz and durf urh
The soundboard lacks a bit of resonance for the size of this piano. The singing tone and sustain/resonance is just not there.
And Robert, just when, in your opinion, did Bechstein relent and go over to repetition actions? In this video (that surely you've seen many times) the 1899 Bechstein has a Steinway-like butterfly spring set of wippens. I labor this point as you seemed to imply that the Berlin company continued to use modified Viennese actions into the 20th century. Bluthner, yes. Bechstein, no.
9:44 Ouch, that would have proven the famous repetition technique of the Erard. Still have to practice a little
Amazing piano, but please change your shoes!! Lolll
Hahahaha amazing
How rude you are. Obviously, that must be your culture that gets you to offend people for their personal choice. Respect a bit?
I definitely noticed the shoes. I'm okay with them.
This is obviously not an Erard in pristine condition but a completely restored grand piano. It seems to be skilfully done. Good that the original damper felt was kept. Modern damperfelt is of completely different make and creates ugly overtones on an instrument like this.
Bösendorfer is pronounced Bersendorfer, not Boosendorfer.
Says he's going to play a piece appropriate to an 1875 piano - plays a piece from 77 years earlier instead of, oh, I don't know... Liszt? Brahms?
Beethoven
@@robparke2323 I know... hence my sarcastic comment!
Why doesn't he and other Americans learn to pronounce words properly?
Because we're Americans, we don't have to, so BITE US!
@@Nunofurdambiznez You Americans have been getting bit in the ass by covid because of the same attitude. Be careful what you wish for.