Get Your Copy of 'Piano and Keyboard' in The Guardian

A440 · Post by **A440** » 11 Oct 2008, 10:35

Don't Forget! Today's Guardian and tomorrows Observer come with a Piano and Keyboard booklet. As well as a few beginners lessons there's articles about players and playing. Tomorrow's edition promises to have articles about piano building, makers and a (doubtless contentious!) article abut the 'best buy' pianos!
Don't miss it!

Openwood · Post by **Openwood** » 12 Oct 2008, 10:53

Just about to nip out buy Part 2. Part 1 was pretty good; the exercises and musical examples seemed well chosen. The main challenge was getting my hands on the piano supplement without being seen in public holding a copy of The Guardian. Fortunately I remembered there was a supermarket 'Bag for Life' in the boot of the car and I was able to shove the hand-wringing, bleeding-heart-liberal, knit-your-own-yoghurt, middle-class-guilt rag inside that before leaving the newsagent. Phew.

A440 · Post by **A440** » 12 Oct 2008, 11:25

Well the 'Buying Guide' (shouldn't that be selling guide?) was a tribute to in-depth journalism!
Apparently they rang the (seemingly independent) Piano Advisory Service who kindly recommended all the pianos sold in the Markson shop. The fact that the PAS is owned and run by Markson is, no doubt, sheer coincidence!
It's a shame that the so-called Markson M110 made an appearance over, say, the Kemble Cambridge. It is a bit absurd to recommend a bog-standard Chinese piano which is only available in one shop in the UK.
At least the Kemble Conservatoire got a well-deserved mention. The Waldstein seems seriously under-priced (no room for any prep there). As for no mention of Steinway, well it's just silly!
Here's to sloppy journalism!

Descombes · Post by **Descombes** » 12 Oct 2008, 11:54

A440 wrote:Well the 'Buying Guide' (shouldn't that be selling guide?) was a tribute to in-depth journalism!
Apparently they rang the (seemingly independent) Piano Advisory Service who kindly recommended all the pianos sold in the Markson shop. The fact that the PAS is owned and run by Markson is, no doubt, sheer coincidence!
As for no mention of Steinway, well it's just silly!
Here's to sloppy journalism!

I was disappointed too. The Buying Guide was pointless; they couldn't even go to the trouble of listing grands and uprights separately! As you say, the lack of any mention of Steinway seems peculiar.

Several interesting articles, but even there the quality was pretty uneven. As regards the teaching sections, they were OK, but far too much Wedgwood for my liking. Her stuff is fine, but there is better educational material.

Did the Guardian/Observer give any indication of who they were aiming the supplements at? They seem to have turned out too general and superficial to please anybody!

A440 · Post by **A440** » 12 Oct 2008, 12:01

Yes, it is just a feature. But at £10,000 per page advertising I think there's a wee bit more to it than that.

joseph · Post by **joseph** » 12 Oct 2008, 13:35

this forum will give you everything you need to know about buying a piano on a budget - a lot of us are hard up music teachers who decided to bite the bullet and eat tesco beans whilst paying off our pianos

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 12 Oct 2008, 17:03

A440 wrote: Here's to sloppy journalism!

Hear hear!

You would have thought that old Rusbridger would have ensured a mention for Fazioli at least, being the owner of one oft mentioned in his organ.

Nothing against Julian Markson, but the review was a shallow piece of London-centric old crap. Nobody in his right mind would recommend a f*c*ing Petrof (I think I censored the wrong word there) if he had anything to do with maintaining pianos. Trouble is, now there are going to be hundreds of badly informed people asking for them by name.

Openwood · Post by **Openwood** » 12 Oct 2008, 17:20

Yeah, strange that Petrof, out of all the various makes available should be picked out as decent pianos.

joseph · Post by **joseph** » 12 Oct 2008, 18:30

I thought Petrofs were supposed to be ok now, although I'd have a Yamaha S series over a petrof any day.

Actually if I could afford it I'd have a Steinway lets be honest!

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 12 Oct 2008, 18:45

Openwood wrote:Yeah, strange that Petrof, out of all the various makes available should be picked out as decent pianos.

Indeed. So we have:

Waldstein 108, Pearl-River's most average model.
Markson 110, Dealer's own fringe model available only to fecking Londoners.
Kemble Cons. An uncharacteristically decent choice.
Petrof P118, Outdated, variable but oft-badly build Czech offering.
Bosie Imperial, Not the most immediate choice for a top piano, but understandable if you're a novice easily swayed by hype and enormous size.

Wtf is this "expert" Tim Stein then? I'd like to meet him in a dark alley, or top restaurant if the Grauniad's paying.....

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 12 Oct 2008, 18:48

joseph wrote:I thought Petrofs were supposed to be ok now,

Well I've just tuned a brand new budget model fresh from the dealer. Still the same old Eastern European frame and bottom of the range Detoa action. I'll await its return for a full recentring job before the year is out.

Openwood · Post by **Openwood** » 12 Oct 2008, 20:26

And another thing...

Many of the pianos in the photos were Yamahas but there was hardly any mention of how to get one. Bit weird. Or maybe not. Who knows? Search me.

genaa · Post by **genaa** » 13 Oct 2008, 08:34

Think I will stick to the tried and trusted advice from this and other forums when contemplating my next piano purchase..... who knows I may even listen to Pianoguy too, and stay away from all those bad investments

At first I was annoyed at myself at having missed these two supplements, but in hindsight it sounds like what I missed was more akin to the things you aim to miss when walking along the pavement

Brumtuner · Post by **Brumtuner** » 13 Oct 2008, 09:20

Pigeons?

Openwood · Post by **Openwood** » 13 Oct 2008, 09:52

At first I was annoyed at myself at having missed these two supplements, but in hindsight it sounds like what I missed was more akin to the things you aim to miss when walking along the pavement

I don't think it was that bad. The musical exercises and pieces were fine. As a way of getting people back to the piano I thought it was a good attempt. The second supplement was less helpful in terms of advice for buying a piano, that's for sure. Lazy researchers by the look of it.

Descombes · Post by **Descombes** » 13 Oct 2008, 10:23

genaa wrote:
At first I was annoyed at myself at having missed these two supplements, but in hindsight it sounds like what I missed was more akin to the things you aim to miss when walking along the pavement

My copies of the two booklets are about to go in the Recycling Bin. If anyone missed them and would like them, just send me a Private Message with your address and I'll post them to you.

D

A440 · Post by **A440** » 13 Oct 2008, 10:56

Openwood wrote:And another thing...

Many of the pianos in the photos were Yamahas but there was hardly any mention of how to get one. Bit weird. Or maybe not. Who knows? Search me.

There was no mention of Yamaha or Steinway because they are not sold by Markson's.
Nothing against Markson's, it's the "researcher's" fault.
There really should have been an article about Kemble. They are, after all built in this country and are the last remaining connection with traditional British piano building. I think there is a good story in the fact that a piano factory employing British people still exists. It would have been sensible in a feature about pianos to include editorial about the last remaining UK maker. But, oh no, we get a double spread about Tori Amos.
Anyways, must dash, got some nice fresh spilt milk that needs crying over!!

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 13 Oct 2008, 15:36

A440 wrote:
Openwood wrote: Nothing against Markson's,

I have nothing against Marksons either, in fact I'd say they were one of the better retailers, but to do such scant research is poor journalism, and not what I'd expect from the Grauniad.

Openwood · Post by **Openwood** » 13 Oct 2008, 16:30

Just for the record, I didn't write "nothing against Markson's."

Not that I DO actually have anything against Markson's.

How confusing!

A440 · Post by **A440** » 13 Oct 2008, 19:32

Just for the record I did say "nothing against Markson's" and indeed, just like Openwood I still have nothing against Markson's. I believe Pianoguy also has nothing against Markson's.
Nobody has anything at all against Markson's. I hope that is clear!
Although....

Descombes · Post by **Descombes** » 13 Oct 2008, 20:33

On behalf of those who live outside London, could I ask "Who are Markson's"?

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 13 Oct 2008, 21:18

A440 wrote:Just for the record I did say "nothing against Markson's" and indeed, just like Openwood I still have nothing against Markson's. I believe Pianoguy also has nothing against Markson's.
Nobody has anything at all against Markson's. I hope that is clear!
Although....

.... there are other dealers around!!

Descombes, Marksons are a London piano dealer situated not far from the Ar se.... nal. Decent enough, but not worth travelling to the Smoke for unless you've not got a decent dealer in your neck of the woods.

Buy locally.

Descombes · Post by **Descombes** » 13 Oct 2008, 21:33

Thanks for that,PianoGuy. Not a part of London I ever travel to!

The only piano shops I know in London are Steinways (because they're Steinways!), Morley's (because I used to live in S London and when I went in years ago to buy some music, they asked me if I'd like to try one of their Bosendorfers) and that place round the corner from Marble Arch (Is it Samuels or something?)

Oh.. and Chappells (no longer) of Bond Street.

I agree: unless you want a Steinway, buy outside London!

Openwood · Post by **Openwood** » 13 Oct 2008, 23:46

Oh.. and Chappells (no longer) of Bond Street.

Openwood pauses and sighs longingly at the memory of the beautiful Yamaha S6 he tried in Chappells of No Longer Bond Street during the Easter break.

Sigh......

Descombes · Post by **Descombes** » 14 Oct 2008, 04:10

Openwood wrote:
Oh.. and Chappells (no longer) of Bond Street.
Openwood pauses and sighs longingly at the memory of the beautiful Yamaha S6 he tried in Chappells of No Longer Bond Street during the Easter break.

Sigh......

Now that you are a part owner (as a taxpayer) of three big banks, I suggest you give yourself an interest-free loan, go to Chappells of Soho and buy it!