Sitting at and playing the Stuart piano are quite unique experiences.
Firstly, you are surrounded by the aura of the piano itself – the appearance and style, the quality. I have a custom made double stool for my piano, since this is a very useful option both for my teaching (I can get closer to the action, as it were) and also for duets, of course. I’ve always had a double stool – when I was much younger my parents made me one, and I still have it.
Secondly, the volume range of the piano is much larger than any other piano I have played (The 2.9 metre beast is amazing in this regard). I’m convinced that Wayne has secreted a 200 watt amplifier somewhere inside the piano but I’ve never been able to find it…
The overall efficiency of the sound production means that creating volume is not an issue – in fact one of my major initial problems was how to keep the volume down. I do this by effective use of the dolce pedal and also by consciously trying to play more softly – i.e. developing a softer touch. It must be emphasised that the entire dynamic range of this instrument is greater than any other – controlling this is an absolute prerequisite to getting the maximum musicality out of this piano.
Once you have mastered the touch and the pedals (more on these later) a whole new sound canvas opens up to you and it is really up to the performer to exploit that canvas to the full, to ‘explore the possibilities’, as it were.
Of course I have limitations – the fingers don’t necessarily do what they are told and I’m not nearly as good as I used to be in terms of memorising pieces. But the instrument is totally capable of producing whatever I want it to - it is simply a question of whether I can physically do it.
If you ask me whether the whole process over the last 30 months has been worth it, the answer is an unequivocal yes. The trials and tribulations have been great, but nowhere near as great as the rewards. The feeling is really quite indescribable…