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The Making of a Steinway Concert Grand
Times Books
August 2006
On Sale: July 25, 2006
304 pages
ISBN: 0805078789
EAN: 9780805078787
Hardcover
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Non-Fiction
Like no other instrument, a grand piano melds engineering feats with the magical sounds of great music: the thunder of a full-throated bass, the bright, delicate trill of the upper treble. Alone among the big piano companies, Steinway still crafts all of its pianos largely by hand, imbuing each one with the promise and burden of its brand. In this captivating narrative, James Barron of The New York Times tells the story of one Steinway piano, from raw lumber to finished instrument. Barron follows that brand-new piano -- known by its number, K0862 -- on its eleven-month journey through the Steinway factory, where time-honored manufacturing methods vie with modern-day industrial efficiency. He looks over the shoulders of men and women -- some second- and third-generation employees, some recently arrived immigrants -- who transform wood and steel into a concert grand. Together, they carry on the traditions begun more than 150 years ago by the immigrants who founded Steinway & Sons -- a family that soared to prominence in the music world and, for a while, in New York City's political and economic life. Barron also explores the art and science of developing a pianos timbre and character before its first performance, when the essential question will be answered: Does K0862 live up to the Steinway legend? From start to finish, PIANO will charm and enlighten music lovers.
 Media BuzzDiane Rehm Show - NPR - December 29, 2006
Diane Rehm Show - NPR - August 14, 2006
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