Cassi goes shopping

As it happened, this weekend was the Steinway Extravaganza at the dealer -- a number of new and used Steinways were on hand for this special sales event, including two that had been rebuilt by our visiting technician. There were concerts, demonstrations, special events all weekend. I was at the door on the stroke of 10 am when the store opened on Friday.

My first task: play the two rebuilds and evaluate the technician’s work. He had suggested that I do so, and told me which pianos were his. My second task: play as many pianos as they would allow, and see if I could tell the difference between a good piano and a bad one.

I began in the main grand piano showroom with the mixed brands, all of them small, mostly baby grands. Both of the rebuilds were here, one of them a Model O dating from 1917. I noted that it still had its original soundboard. The work was first-rate, and both pianos were indeed as good as new -- “but not quite,” as I was later told by the salesman: “there have been subtle improvements in the design over the years.” I resisted the urge to mention the Teflon bushings that appeared – briefly – in Steinways back in the 1970's; such matters are best left unspoken in polite company.

It soon became apparent to S., who appeared to assist me, that she should call K. from across the street. He led me over to the Fine Arts Center, where the big pianos were displayed in the lobby, all Steinways and Bostons (Steinway’s “budget” brand). This was a different world: no more of the upright pianos for eight-year-olds taking their first lessons, no more of the baby grands built for appearance more than sound, no more choice of color or finish. Here, all the pianos were black, sleek, powerful. The salesmen were all in white shirt, black suit and tie, the atmosphere was the quiet elegance of Serious Money. It is a seductive and dangerous environment. One can easily begin to think that $70,000 or $80,000 is but a trifle for such excellence. As a representative of Holy Mother Church, I had to keep at the forefront of my mind: Widows and orphans putting their pennies in the collection plate. Swaziland. The Crisis Center. Starving street people. For them, $70,000 or $80,000 is not a trifling matter.

I played another Model O, this one brand-new. They had already sold their Model A, the next size up, so I played a Model B; what a fine piano! I improvised on it for almost half an hour with three or four hymn tunes, mostly St. Patrick's Breastplate and St. Columba. I tried one of the Boston grands, right next to the Model O and the same size, about six feet long -- but half the price. “Designed by Steinway,” it said at the corner of the fallboard. It was a good piano, and at its Special Sale Price, only $28,995. I played on it for about ten minutes, improvising on “God of the Sparrow,” thereby sneaking in a bit of practice for Sunday. Very nice!

But then I moved back to the Model O and played the same music, as closely as I could by memory. The $35,000 difference in these pianos does indeed get you something; an indescribable richness and velvety tone that the Boston could not match.

Still, I remain attached to our old Model L, even in preference to that splendid Model B. I played it the next morning at the church to see whether I was delusional; no, even with its old age and faults and need for repair, it is a fine piano, or potentially so. It did seem a bit like an elderly dowager with its old discolored ivories, scratched-up case needing veneer repairs, and ninety-year old strings – but it spoke with integrity. I was tempted to scrap the whole project and just leave it precisely as it is, but I suspect that would not be for the best.

Some of our piano’s charm is probably the acoustic; our church is a better space aurally than the lobby of the Fine Arts Center. Or it might just be my tin ear, unable to discern what is Suitable for Serious Work, combined with sentiment for the old piano. It is good that the decisions will be made by committee, and not by me; I will seek the assistance of our chamber music pianist and others, as well as the members of the committee. But they are likely to give at least a little weight to my suggestions, so I must be careful and try to give good advice.

I thoroughly enjoyed the day at the Steinway dealer; I have never had such an experience. And I think that on top of all the rest, I played fairly well. Ten years ago, even five years ago, I could not have improvised for an hour and a quarter and made good music. I have, without intending to do so, developed my own Style at the piano, both in improvisation and in the playing of hymns (which is largely improvisation as well). And whether or not it pleases anyone else, it pleases me; it is precisely the music that I would like to hear (though I would like to play it better and more accurately). For this, I thank the Lord who has called me to this work and taught me day by day to do it better, for his great glory and praise and (hopefully) the benefit of his people.


Today (Sunday) was a Good Day. We admitted five new choristers to the youth choir. Never in my thirty-plus years of choral work have I been honored by such a large entering class of singers. It was a delight to see them, even (perhaps especially) some of the unanticipated aspects – little R. ended up with an adult-sized surplice which on her reached almost to the floor; second-year chorister T. assisted with the project and having too many of the white surplices in hand, so he dropped the extras on the floor in proper little-boy fashion (his mother was probably back in the pews rolling her eyes); K. with her hair thoroughly mussed from putting on the surplice, and a huge smile of delight on her face.

I did not improvise for the morning services as well as I had done at the music store, but the evensong prelude went well – again, music for piano. I played the Aria and Twenty-Fifth Variation from the Goldberg Variations. Lest I begin to be proud of my creativity, Bach reminds me how little progress I have made and how much work remains.

The choir sang well, especially the Ayleward Responses (with which we have struggled), and the new priest, Fr. W., conducted all of the day's services with dignity and grace. Blessings be with him.

The Twenty-Fifth Variation is amazing, even by the standards of Bach. By that time in a full performance of the Goldberg, one has heard almost an hour of music, taking the beautiful little aria through what seems to be every possibility – and then this. It is as if time stops.

A performance by Glenn Gould