TORONTO: In
August, Naxos producers Norbert Kraft & Bonnie Silver recorded a
unique project with pianist Edmund Battersby, of Bloomington,
Indiana. Battersby played Beethoven's "Diabelli Variations" on
both a modern 9 ft. Steinway piano, as well as a reproduction of an
1825 fortepiano by Graf, built by R.J. Regier of Freeport, Maine,
U.S.A. The recording will highlight the vast contrast
between the sounds and expressive palettes of the contemporary piano
and the piano of Beethoven's day. Besides the beautiful
workmanship of the Regier instrument , its sound quality was simply
magical. The variety of tonal colours among the different
registers and its unique modes of expression and subtle dynamics
brought surprising dimensions to Beethoven's great music.
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The piano played by Battersby is similar
to instruments used in Beethoven's day.
Expert early piano technician Rob Loomis
prepares the fortepiano for recording sessions in Toronto, Canada.
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