Hello guys!
Wanted to ask about Besendorfer piano. Many of you think this is incorrectly typed - sorry to disappoint you, but this is correct, such pianos existed
My friend has such piano in his house, the piano needs restoration. So the question is - is it worth restoring it?
Regards,
Lukasz Pelszynski
The point is not whether pianos with the name plaque 'Besendorfer' exist (they do). I argued in the past (and still do) that the Name in Pianoteq does not refer to a name plaque that might or might not exist, but should rather identify the builder of the instrument, as there might potentially be multiple instruments available (for example there are already two Pleyel pianos).
The question is therefore not one of fact (is the name plaque on the piano written 'Besendorfer'), but one of opinion: i.e., should the designation in Pianoteq reflect the concrete spelling of this particular instrument's name plaque, or should it rather identify the builder of the instrument. And it is a simple fact that the builder of the piano in question is nowadays known as 'Ignaz Bösendorfer'.
For example, should Pianoteq be getting a (contemporary) Bösendorfer add-in in the future, it might get a bit confusing, since then you will have a 'Besendorfer' and a 'Bösendorfer' piano in the list, both refering to the same person and/or company.
I don't think there is any problem at all. Let's assume 95% of all people who are interested in pianoteq want to play piano (a mightily scientific assumption of great importance, he he^^). The Kremsegg 1829 instrument is certainly not what most players and listeners as well have saved in the dim and distant areas of our brain, "piano-department", as a "Bösendorfer" grand. That would maybe be an 290 imperial grand. So if Modartt decides to model a newer Bösendorfer grand piano - the fine 1829 instrument would still be called after the name it has in Schloß Kremsegg, and the fine newer grand used by Andras Schiff or who ever would be the B290 or Bösendorfer or whatever...B1 or whatever.
I think you're totally right, detomastah, and your friend must be a lucky man owning a "Besendorfer"! If you pm the developers (they lack, sometimes a certain friendlyness we're accustomed to, like some natural scientists deeply concerned with their art and not caring much about people can have a certain autistic feeling to them - but are real experts) you might surely get a nice answer about restoration if you provide as many informations as you have.