Piano

"Satisfying to the point of sensuousness."
--The New York Times Book Review Like no other instrument, a grand piano melds the magic of engineering with the magic of great music. Alone among the big piano companies, Steinway & Sons still crafts each 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 journey through the factory, where time-honored traditions vie with modern-day efficiency. He also explores the art and science of developing a piano's timbre and character before its debut, 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 and book lovers alike. Like no other instrument, a grand piano melds the magic of engineering with the magic 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 & Sons still builds 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 through a process one of the plant's managers calls "anti-manufacturing." 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 decades of innovation and quirks that gave birth to the concert grand piano's design, as well as the tough global competition and changing music scene that have squeezed the piano industry. And he unmasks the art and science of developing a piano's character before its first performance, when the essential question will be answered: Does K0862 live up to the Steinway legend? "This engaging narrative about the preservation of a great tradition by skilled craftsmen is the work of a writer who is quite a skilled craftsman himself. James Barron, an indefatigable reporter, has woven out of his scrupulous research a fascinating story of an all but vanished art, and of the men who created it."--Robert A. Caro, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner "Mr. Barron's "Piano" is a pleasant . . . addition to the instrument's book-repertory, offering an affectionate view of one of the two great artisans of Western musical culture."--James Penrose, "The Wall Street Journal" "By the end of the book, Barron has turned a 990-pound hunk of wood and metal . . . into a living, breathing main character."--Lisa Davis, "Star-Telegram "(Dallas)
"This engaging narrative about the preservation of a great tradition by skilled craftsmen is the work of a writer who is quite a skilled craftsman himself. James Barron, an indefatigable reporter, has woven out of his scrupulous research a fascinating story of an all but vanished art, and of the men who created it."--Robert A. Caro, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner
"How has Steinway come to be the gold standard for the piano maker's art? In this engaging book, James Barron tells the story, taking us behind the scenes in the New York factory to explore the complex interplay of science, tradition, and skill during the eleven months it takes to build a concert grand. What emerges is a succinct and captivating account of the craft that produces this supremely subtle instrument that dominates the world's concert halls. Fascinating, informative, and fun."--Thad Carhart, author of "The Piano Shop on the Left Bank" "No wonder no two Steinway pianos are exactly the same No wonder each has its own special character and personality In telling us in exquisite detail what has gone into the making of one particular instrument, James Barron has created a classic in its own right. Having read the story makes me love my own Steinway all the more."--Charles Osgood ""New York Times "staff reporter Barron follows a Steinway Model D concert grand piano from warehouse to concert hall. The main character in this story, which began as a series of "Times" articles, is K0862. (Steinway pianos are known by their numbers.) Born as a few strips of lumber, glued together and bent into shape, K0862 was raised in the Steinway factory and warehouse in Queens, where it was given body and voice. Eventually, it left home for a professional life. Barron documents each step of the process and profiles the workers who complete each of the necessary tasks. Himself an amateur pianist, he combines a journalist's eye for exactitude with a musician's love of the instrument. He follows K0862 through the 11-month process, from the bending of the rim through the filing and sanding of each individual key and hammer to the voicing and multiple tunings in soundproof booths. A postlude follows K0862 once it leaves Steinway. The author supplements this individual odyssey with a history of Steinway & Sons. Founded in 1853, the firm faced some daunting challenges in the 20th century. First radio, then television promised entertainment at the twist of a knob (no lessons necessary), and in less than three weeks in 1953, more television sets were made than the total number of pianos built during Steinway's first hundred years. Yet despite these changes in technology and manufacturing, the company has maintained itself in the art