Showing posts with label Langer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Langer. Show all posts

Thursday 28 August 2014

Bentley Pianos

The ‘Grover’ name was associated with instrument making in London since the eighteenth century and in 1906, branching out a little from family tradition, Douglas W. Grover began making pianos. 

Since London was the centre of piano building at the time, any thought of moving production to the west country would have been considered foolhardy. However, in 1910, Douglas’s wife went to stay with friends in Gloucestershire to recover from an illness. This meant that each weekend, Douglas caught the train down to Stroud. In a short while, he took to the rather more idillic setting of the countryside and decided that he could make his pianos in Stroud.

In 1911, moving into an old Cotswold Mill at the village of Woodchester just outside Stroud he established the Stroud Piano Company.

Launching a new, overstrung model in 1930 and sold as a Bentley piano. This ‘Bungalow grand’ as it was called, was an instant success - its distinct casework and moderate size was perfect for the piano-buying home owner of the time. The company changed its name to the Bentley Piano Company. 

In 1938, the Woodchester Mill was virtually destroyed by fire but despite the rivalry between fellow piano makers, rivals and suppliers were willing to help at such a time of need. One company who manufactured woodworking machinery, sent the next available of each machine required. Within a week of the fire, production had begun in premises just across the road and in 9 months, output was up to the level before the fire. 

From at least the late 1960s, Bentley’s made their own actions. The use of plastic for some of the action parts might have cut production costs, but the long-term life of these crucial parts, proved to be a less than satisfactory. During the mid 1980s the action-making operations were brought to a close and the Langer actions (made by Herberger Brooks) were fitted to their pianos. These, better actions improved the piano noticeably.  

In 1989, another fire hit the Woodchester factory - this time destroying about 40% of the production area. Just 4 years later, in 1993, the Bentley Piano Co. Ltd. was acquired by Whelpdale, Maxwell & Codd of London.


Directory of Piano Makers

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Pianology

Tuesday 12 June 2012

Piano Actions

The piano action is made up of thousands of components but its one single purpose is to present the pianist with an even and responsive touch. The repertoire of piano music can be played with so much more confidence and freedom when the pianist knows the full range of dynamic expression is at his fingertips. 

In the early days of piano history, fierce competition fuelled efforts to develop a strong, reliable piano action and to do it with efficient and economic methods of manufacture. The basic design of the piano action today is not significantly different from what it was 120 years ago. For a hundred years, generations of piano makers have been entrusted with a perfect working template.


Action makers in the early 1900s achieved an impressive degree of perfection - all  without the aid of computer technology. Even now, only minor variations in the comparative geometry of actions from different makers distinguish one from the other. Changes now, are restricted mostly to materials and glues. The use of carbon fibre is a most interesting development - clearly, the material's strength, coupled with its weight (or lack of it) opens exciting possibilities for its wider use in the construction of both piano and actions. 

The drawings of some of the early actions by the likes of Schroter (1717), Christofori (1707), and Stein (1780) are only primitive sketches. Very different from what the piano action has become. No doubt, these brave pioneers spent many tense hours thinking up new ideas and alternative ways to transfer the simple movement of the piano key through to the hammer and thus, to the string.

By 1850, Sebastian Erard had developed the piano action to the point of being recognised as more or less, the design used today. Further 'variations on the same theme' were tried, some proved useful, but many came to nothing. Herburger, Schwander, Langer, and Renner were among the best of the many action 'houses'. Actions made by these makers are found in many of the better quality pianos around today.

The recent rise of piano-making in China and the far east, has meant that the Piano Trade is now a truly global affair. It is sad for we nostalgic types in the west, where local piano-building traditions have all but died out, to accept that piano production has shifted almost entirely from the West to the East. This is the stark reality of our contemporary world. Materials are sourced from anywhere on the globe to make the piano a truly multi-national product. Perhaps it is too much to hope that peace and 'harmony' in the world might yet be a happy by-product from the manufacture of pianos!

The Piano World

© Steve Burden