Steinway update

The Steinway L is back; the rebuilder delivered it to the church about an hour ago.
(see here and here for some background)

My first impressions are good. He shimmed the two small cracks in the soundboard, cleaned and re-gilded the plate, replaced the strings, tuning pins, pinblock, hammers, and action parts. It was a complete interior rebuild, leaving the exterior of the case as it was -- and he did some minor touch-up repairs to the case so that it looks pretty good, much better than it did. The cost was $15,900.

I carefully played up and down the keyboard, checking the action regulation and voicing; all is well. With the lid up, it is scrumptiously beautiful inside -- all those shiny new strings, the bright and clean plate, the shiny nickel-plated tuning pins... I am prepared to certify this as first-rate piano work. This instrument is in all important respects (that is, everything except the appearance of the case) just like a brand-new Steinway. With reasonable care it will, Lord willing, be suitable for church and concert use for many decades to come.

But I will need to play it for a while. The personality is a little different, and I miss my sweet old dowager of a piano. She may still be there, underneath the good looks; I hope so. The soundboard is still that fine old 1920's wood with all that music-making in its history. It is as if one of my friends were to suddenly be thirty years younger - strong and healthy, and still in essence the same person, but not as I knew and loved him in his older age. I would be happy for him, but it would not be quite the same.

What is, is. The work needed to be done, and it has been done well.

[Added later: Saturday, August 24 -- I have indeed played the piano for a while, and it is just fine. It is still my old friend, and I am very happy with the result of the project.]