The Ultimate Shopping Trip
Richard McMahon, Head of Keyboard
Studies at RWCMD, reflects on his visit to the Steinway factory in
Hamburg where he helped to choose 62 pianos delivered to RWCMD on
March 4th 2009, making the College the UK’s first
All-Steinway Conservatoire.
Sunday the 25th January and a mid
afternoon flight to Hamburg saw the beginning of two extraordinary
days in the company of
Principal Hilary Boulding
and our Piano Technician Richard Kuhnel. RWCMD had recently signed
an agreement to purchase 62 instruments from the world’s most
celebrated piano maker Steinway & Sons - and at the top of our
shopping list was a Concert Grand. Clearly, this was not a normal
couple of day’s work in college!
Arriving at the factory bright and early on
Monday morning, we began with a tour. We saw vast stockpiles
of timber grown in the Steinway forests which, after harvesting, is
left to weather and settle for ten years or more. Only the
best quality wood is chosen, from the massive timbers that make up
the frame to the smallest components of the immensely 
complex
mechanism.
After coffee, serious selection began with
greatly valued help from Finnish pianist Olli Mustonen who had
specially flown in from Helsinki. Seven concert grands were lined
up, like contestants in a beauty parade. We were looking for the
piano that had most character. One of the charms of a Steinway is
the sense of personality, unique to each instrument. Olli and I
both spent half an hour privately with the instruments in order to
find our three personal preferences. The hope was that our tastes
would coincide rather than contradict and rather
wonderfu
lly, this is what happened! After a little discussion
we decided on our favourite one.
We then moved on to the Music Room Grands. At
this point, I had in mind the various uses these instruments would
have: teaching, concert work, chamber music, etc. It was fun to
begin imagining specific pianos in particular rooms at RWCMD.
After a long day, we were taken to a
traditional part of Hamburg for a well earned meal and after a good
night’s sleep were back at the factory early the next morning to
select the remaining Parlor Grand and Baby Grand pianos. By
lunchtime we had achieved our task and Hilary was able to enjoy a
quiet moment with one of the selected pianos, playing an old
favourite piece.
There had been a great deal of pressure
involved in this trip - but of the most exhilarating kind. I had
the sense that this had been a once in a lifetime experience for us
all.
Richard McMahon