Recent Steinway Overhaul Projects

The Shackell Pianos name has recently been reverberating around the south London home of husband and wife team of pianists Philip Smith and Noriko Ogawa.

Early in 2009 Philip selected a fine 1977 Steinway model 'B' from Shackell Pianos and this fully overhauled instrument was delivered by Piano Transport services - through the window to Philips studio. With that piano safely installed it was the turn of Noriko's model 'A' Steinway to leave the house, bound for the workshops of Shackell Pianos for an overhaul. The Hamburg model 'A' which Noriko purchased new in 1990 received new hammers and hammer shanks as well as key bushing work and the top two sections of strings being replaced. Noriko commented shortly after delivery "The piano has just arrived, back in the position, wearing a new cover, and I have just tried it. IT IS WONDERFUL. THANK YOU!"

Noriko Ogawa was awarded third prize in the 1987 Leeds International Piano Competition and has since achieved considerable renown in Europe, America and in her native Japan where she is a national celebrity.

www.norikoogawa.com

Philip Smith is a pianist who thrives on variety; he likes to cover the widest possible range of musical activity in many styles. He gives solo and chamber recitals, concerto performances, and concerts with the distinguished percussionist Evelyn Glennie. These include transcriptions, contemporary music (many works were written especially for them) and improvisation.

www.philipsmith.org.uk

1911 Steinway Model 'B' Grand 

Well know Oxford based photographer Chris Andrews and his wife Ginger  (Chris Andrews Publications www.cap-ox.com) have reserved a 1911 Steinway model 'B' grand from Jeffrey Shackell.  The instrument at present is in original condition and over the next 10 months Jeffrey will be restoring the piano for Chris and Ginger to go in their North Hinksey home.

Chris was keen to make a photographic record of the Steinway before work started and spent the morning with Jeffrey at his Minster Lovell workshops witnessing the striping down prior to the casework being sent to the French polisher.  Regular visitors to this site will be able to follow the restoration of this Steinway over the coming months.

Jeffrey commented "Chris took such an interest as various parts of the piano were removed - he learnt a great deal about a piano in a short time".  Later that evening Chris made a return visit to the workshops to witness the cast plate being removed ...

"Now this bit is heavy Chris, we are only taking it out once, so no re-run!" 

"Pianos are the most wonderful things to photograph" Chris remarked during the morning "There are so many fresh angles to approach this from"  I think we would all agree with Chris - and of course Steinway make it all the more interesting.

Steinway Model 'D' Grand

A Model 'D' Steinway Grand that was once based in St. David's Hall Cardiff, has recently been worked on by Jeffrey Shackell. 

Recently Jeffrey took a few minutes to talk to the owner of the piano - Cotswold based pianist Jonathan Phillips.  Jeffrey put various questions to Jonathan about Steinway pianos:

Jonathan, this is a very big Steinway for this room - what has drawn you to wanting to have a model 'D' grand in your home?

In essence, I had always wanted a model B, which is the ideal professional instrument in a domestic setting. However they are so sought after and always command a good price, the idea of being able to have a used, well maintained full size concert grand with all the extra resonance depth of tone, and weight of action was too good an opportunity to miss, so I bought one!  Also, quite a bit of my work recently has involved playing big romantic concertos, and handling something like the Rachmanininoff 3 rd    on a model D Steinway, is quite different from the response you get on smaller instruments. I have used my own Steinway for a couple of concerts, and I intend to use it for some forthcoming recording work. By the way, I only play with the lid up, when there is no one else in the house!

You clearly love your Steinway; tell me a little bit about your earliest memories of playing on a Steinway?

I remember seeing an intriguing black shiny grand piano in a music shop in Lincoln , when I was about 8 years old. We had an upright Challen at home, and I don't suppose I had actually ever seen a grand piano, let alone a new Steinway (what a very sheltered upbringing!). It was separated from all the other instruments by one of those ropes hanging from small stands, which you often see in stately homes to cordon off sections of the house from visitors. So it was with this piano, raised up on a small Dias surrounded by these ropes.  I was allowed to try it. I played a little piece by Schumann,  and I can still remember the sensation on hearing this liquid, translucent, almost ethereal sound coming out of the piano. It was a defining moment for me.

You must have played many different Steinway grands, do you recall any in particular that were a dream to play or otherwise?

Actually yes there have been several. Three stand out for particular reasons, possibly the one I thought was the most magical instrument was the one I used for the finals of the Tchaikovsky competition in Moscow in 1990. It had everything. Power, deep sonority, a beautiful penetrating, ringing, bell like treble, and a fantastically well set up action which was effortless to play on.

Chetham's school in Manchester, where I taught, had a lovely model D they bought from the RNCM.

Finally, the Steinway D in St David's Hall Cardiff , had always stood out in my memory, when I played the Rachmaninov Paganini Rhapsody, it was an extraordinary instrument. Several colleagues, have also commented over the years on that particular instruments qualities. So imagine my reaction when I discovered that the Steinway D I have is the one from St David's Hall which I had played. On the whole, I don't think I have ever come across a really bad Steinway.

What is it do you feel that makes a Steinway so remarkable?  I have put this question dozens of times to pianists and am fascinated by the variety of answers.

Years ago, Steinway used to promote the idea that the reason most major venues had a Steinway was because they were the most consistent piano in the world. In other words, wherever you played, the similarity between Steinways in different venues was greater than between any other make. I think this is still largely true, although Steinway now like to promote the idea of individuality and uniqueness. I guess this is the point. Yes they are consistent, there is a similarity to the sound, the tone, the action, resonance, etc, but within that there is a wider margin of individuality as well.

In my view it is the craftsmanship, the care, the attention to detail and most importantly the quality of the raw materials used and put together by hand which help make the Model D in particular such an extraordinary instrument. It is after all an acoustic instrument which vibrates and oscillates the sound waves and amplifies them. I hope that science will never be able to fully explain and quantify all the complex variables which contribute to the creation of the unique Steinway sound. Most commercially made pianos, though very good and functional, are just another commodity. A good Steinway however is really a work of art in itself.

www.jonathanphillips.uk.com

Steinway Model 'D' Concert Grand

A Steinway model 'D' concert grand previously owned by Sir Clifford Curzon has recently been in the workshops of Jeffrey Shackell for some maintenance work.  The Hamburg built instrument dates from 1965 and was Curzon's favourite instrument which he also used for a number of recordings.  It was purchased in 1990 by John Humphreys from Sir Clifford's son, Fritz. 

The top two sections have been restrung along with the fitting of a new action frame, Steinway Hamburg hammer heads and new hammer shanks, flanges and rollers.  Jeffrey remarks... "This is a lovely Steinway with a very broad based and majestic tone quality, it has been something of an honour to have here.  Many of my older visitors over the last few months have recalled their days gone by when hearing Sir Clifford in concert - he was of course quite a legend".

Now back in its Birmingham home, John Humphreys who has a long career of performance and teaching at the Birmingham Conservatoire of Music and throughout the UK comments:  "There are very few Steinway specialists I would entrust with a sympathetic restoration allowing the instrument to retain the fundamental character so enjoyed by Sir Clifford  - Jeff Shackell is pre-eminent amongst them.  I am lost in admiration for the work he has done".

Jeffrey Shackell will now be able to continue his relationship with the piano in its after care maintenance on his regular visits to Birmingham. "It is one thing to carry out the work at my base in Oxfordshire, but every bit as important is the regular after care, it will be interesting to hear how the sound develops with the new hammer heads after a few months of use".

The Nimbus Foundation Steinway 'D'

In addition to the Clifford Curzon Steinway, Jeffrey Shackell has also been taking care of some work to the Wyastone Estates (formerly Nimbus Records) Hamburg Steinway model 'D' that was new to them in 1995. 

The satin ebony 8' 10" instrument that resides in the prestigious concert hall at the company's Monmouth headquarters has been fitted with a new set of Steinway Hamburg hammer heads, glued on to new hammer shanks, flanges and rollers.

Adrian Farmer, director at Wyastone, commented "The general consensus of opinion was that the time had come to fit new hammers to our number one Steinway.  We have an exciting programme of concerts and recordings lined up over the next year and clearly having the Steinway performing well is of paramount importance to us"

Jeffrey Shackell, who fitted the hammer heads and worked on the regulating and voicing over and through the Christmas holiday period added "This has been a most enjoyable project for me, a real pleasure to have a relatively youthful concert grand here.  I am now looking forward to hearing the piano in the hall and under performance conditions"