The bluebook of pianos is an invaluable handbook for anyone who owns or plans to buy a piano. Discover librarianselected research resources on piano history from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. Professor ehrlich follows its fascinating history from the fortepiano of mozarts time, through the victorians household orchestra and god, to the most sophisticated modern products of the japanesemanufacturers. The majority of pianos cannot be reliably dated purely on the basis of their serial numbers, and you only have to look at the listings here for collard or eavestaff to understand why. With the aeolian companys backing, george steck was able to produce a large quantity of pianos and player pianos during the. Here, ehrlich traces the instruments fascinating history from the fortepiano of mozarts time, and the victorians household orchestra and god, to the most sophisticated modern products of the japanese manufacturers. Typical prices you can expect to pay for restoring various components of a pianola. Player pianos offer you a unique way to listen to music in your home.
The history of the mechanical piano and how to repair it by arthur w. Within a few years, the mechanism of these pushups, as they are colloquially known nowadays, was also built in to normal pianos, and these were called player pianos from a generic point of view. Their 3 most common brands in the usa are falcone, george steck, and hobart cable. The duoart reproducing piano was a specialized type of player piano that played with expression like a real person. Physical description upright player piano, pianola, metal wood, piano made by steck, mechanism made by aeolian, england, c. But the compactness is just part of the pianola history. When it got to the steck the auctioneer said ive been told this is the best upright in the building. Parallel to the inception of the pianola, and before the quality of the phonograph much improved, the reproducing piano was capable of playing back the complete performance of a master pianist, having captured the rubato, dynamics and pedalling onto the roll. Introduction whereas a piano player sits in front of a normal piano, and plays it by me.
Steck pianos were made in gotha, germany and possibly london too, and were part of the aeolian group who are well known for making player pianos. Some of the most distinguished artists have endorsed the steck piano and in doing so have taken personal interest in testifying to the value of the many improvements and inventions contained in these instruments. This is a rare model george steck duoart reproducing player grand piano. I purchased one of these a george steck us16 and it. This piano, built by the american brand george steck in about 1933, is the pedalelectric edition of this duoart system. Pauls church of which only the facade and the steps remain. Free delivery and returns on ebay plus items for plus members. My 1933 english steck pianola piano, as acquired by me in 1991, from the outbuilding of a farm house.
George steck pianos for sale buy a george steck piano at pianomart. For more than a century the piano has occupied a dominant place in music and society. Votey later joined the aeolian company, which put the instrument on sale in the usa in the autumn of 1898, and in europe a month or two later. Steck is a brand name of the aeolian piano company, and was used on player pianos produced in the early twentieth century. In brief, this is a history of the modern piano after about 1850. Steck personally introduced a number of innovations and improved designs with a focus of producing the finest instruments possible. The first pianola the first true pianola was completed by edwin scott votey in a workshop at his home at 312, forest avenue east, detroit, by the spring or summer of 1895. It is important to understand that although piano history is a minority interest, taking that minority over the whole world means that hundreds of people are searching our website for piano history every day, quite apart from the many people who have a more casual interest, and although this website goes some way to satisfying that need, a. These are old american brand names that they purchased for marketing purposes, but none of these pianos are made here. Steck piano for sale in uk 39 secondhand steck pianos. It has a normal keyboard and can be played by hand in the usual way. This is an earlier instrument, belonging to a customer, dating from around 1914 and believed to be a gotha steck and certainly showing all the signs of having been manufactured in germany.
Many virtuosi contributed to the library of early recordings, preserving essential facsimiles of early. The majority of stecks are good quality uprights made from about 1900 to 1920. George steck died in 1897 and the firm incorporated by 1904, at which time the company became one of the many manufacturers acquired by the aeolian piano co. Enter your email address to receive alerts when we have new listings available for steck piano for sale. The steck pianola piano continued to be manufactured throughout the 1920s, and as a result of its widespread popularity, it is the most likely pianola to be encountered nowadays in europe. The instrument, the music, the musiciansfrom mozart to modern jazz and everything in between isacoff, stuart on. The instrument, the music, the musicians from mozart to modern jazz and everything in between at a seemingly odd place well in the middle of the story. The gotha plant purchased from the piano firm ernst munck to manufacture the european steck produced the highest quality pianos and pianola pianos in the early years manufacturing 3,500 annually, rivaling the preaeolian steck, until c1924 when a financial blow forced aeolian to sell the factory and refocus interests at home. Although it was found to be in good condition cosmetically, a considerable amount of work has been carried out inside. The case is really stylish and the legs are detailed as can be seen from. A large number of steck pianos were produced in gotha, germany.
By the 1880s, george steck was offering a full line of square pianos, upright pianos and grand pianos. The steck pianola piano aeolian company advertisement, london, c. Designed by father pianola in was completed in 1837, the work being doe by japanese christian and it was considered a wonder of the time. I havent had it tuned, but its plays well and the sound is crisp and clear maybe 1 or 2 slightly flat notes it has one low key which is a bit dull. Steck duoart upright player piano antique piano shop. Well evident is a wholly new sense of design freedom and artistry. The instrument, the music, the musiciansfrom mozart to modern jazz and everything in between.
Fully refurbished, with stool, tuned and delivered. This piano is made of beautiful book matched walnut, and is of the traditional style. The pianola institute history of the pianola an overview. The pianola measures a little over 3 feet in width, yet has a greater playing range than mozarts pianoforte. George steck was one of americas older and more renoun piano builders, and the firm was known to build very highquality, expensive pianos. The age of your piano is determined by the serial number.
There is a widespread belief that numbers are the beallandendall for dating pianos, but the length of this page should indicate to you that it is not that. There are many different types of player pianos, so it is important to consider how. The steck pianola is a unique hybrid of the steck piano frame and the pianola action. Steck piano pianola marked adelaide duo art pianola i believe this was made in adelaide in the 1930s. These vary in quality, the 4ft 3in ones having a simplex. Steck pianola piano playing scott joplin the entertainer. For more than a century the piano occupied a dominant place in music and society. Each piano is manufactured with a unique serial number that is recorded for future reference of not only when it was made but also where. Discover your pianos age and country of origin with our 5 star accuracy guide to ensure the quality and. A celebration of the piano pianist and author stuart isacoff begins his new book, a natural history of the piano.
Browse ebay for an affordable collection of player pianos for sale. With the pianola evolves a new trend in designing compactness. Throughout the piano manufacturing boom of the 19th century, the majority of piano manufacturing companies and factories in the state of. The factory named gothaer pianohofmanufaktur was purchased in 1905 from ernst munck and renamed steck in 1906. I was recently at a piano auction where there was about 80 uprights. Gotha steck duo art pianola restored to it former glory. Piano history the ol pianola houston piano company.
Cover of the first aeolian company pianola catalogue new york, 1898. Browse our available selection, or use our filters to refine your search by size, price, location, distance from you, or color. History of the piano george steck walt whitman first delivered the death of lincoln lecture at steck hall in new york on april 14, 1879, to an audience of 60 to 80 people to reflect upon the meaning of lincolns death to an american nation pressed to reunite and heal from the wounds of the civil war. The pianola the pianola or player piano is a piano that plays automatically, with information on the note and its duration read from holes made in a moving paper roll. Aeolian player piano service manual party time at the player piano pianauto music roll leader, brazil, c. The piano is a steck pianola, but does not have mechanics for a pianola.
Our available george steck pianos include a range of types, costs and conditions. Hi, if the ad is up, the piano is available, location langwarrin. Updated and revised by the author to include recent developments, this book will. E book of pianos information guide recent brand names of. It goes into the history of the pianola in much more detail than i have above, it explains how different mechanical pianos work, and also it. The steck pianola is a combination of the steck piano and the pianola player action. The pianola institute history of the pianola player pianos. The aeolian corporation was one of the largest and most successful piano companies in history. Our unique pricing algorithm classifies vehicles according to a wide variety of factors, estimates the market price for this specification of vehicle and displays this pricing tag when sufficient data is available but cant take into account the sellers reason for sale, vehicle modifications or condition. It gives complete, practical guidelines that explains the workings of both grand and upright pianos. It will be completely restored to like new condition inside and out, and by all indications should be about the best quality upright player piano available post restoration.