Last chance to Play :
Katharine Hepburn hands and Old Keys
In 1997 I inherited a 100 yr old Steinway grand piano. She belonged to my grandfather who was a musician all his life. He played at the Bohemian Club back in the 20's and 30's. My grandmother was a radio singer in the San Francisco Bay Area also. When my grandmother passed away, my dad got this piano. It's been in disrepair since the late 1960's. When Dad passed, the piano came to me.
I love the old gal, and agonized for these past 10 years about restoring her. She had a lovely voice even though she was in wretched shape. I pretty much stopped playing piano. I didnt have something to play and couldn't really afford to restore the Steinway.
Finally this year I was pressed to decide. We are putting new floors in the entire house and the piano had to go somewhere, it might as well go to the repair shop. I had a technician come look at it and give me an estimate. They wanted $18,000 for a complete restoration. Just the works would be $12K. Well. Never mind. I can't afford that.
At last Classic Piano in Portland gave me an offer to trade it in on another piano. I was so sad to let the Steinway go, but stoked at the new piano I traded for. A brand new Yamaha baby grand.
Here's some pictures of my Lovely Lady. There is even an old signature inside.
1 comment:
What a wonderful, wonderful story Caludia. I have 2 sons who are musical and the youngest has always said that he will buy a grand piano when he can afford it. I must tell him about your lovely one and it's history. You had it for 10 years and that was something worth having.
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