Karlheinz Stockhausen, "Klavierstück VIII"

-- Liner Notes (Continued) --

8. Klavierstück VIII [1'43"]

Instruments
For the recordings on July 1 and 2, a Steinway (Hamburg) grand piano was used, Model D, built in 1959, No. 361 880, lent by Pianohaus Jecklin, Zurich. The piano had a definitely hard touch, its dynamics were balanced throughout the entire range and the resonance time was comparatively short, particularly in the highest range. The tone was considerably affected by the relatively high humidity (75%) at 21°C room temperature (rainy, muggy summer weather); it had to be retuned frequently (piano tuner: Doldinger, Winterthur).

For the recordings made on November 15 to 17, this piano was not available, as it had been rented to the Zurich Tonhalle for the entire 1965/6 winter season. Instead, the Steinway (Hamburg) grand piano Model D, built in 1964, No. 386 360, was borrowed from Pianohaus Hug, Zurich. This piano had a very soft touch and tone, was not balanced dynamically (volume fell off in the lowest and highest ranges, no brilliance), and had a rather long resonance time. The relative humidity was approximately 50% at an average room temperature of 18°C (because of the excessive heating, all the windows were opened at frequent intervals to keep the auditorium at this average temperature; dry, frosty weather, snow). Several notes had to be retuned repeatedly, the entire tuning was corrected once on the 16th and once on the 17th; the left pedal made a creaking noise that could only be corrected after several repairs (piano tuner: Wilhelm Baehr, Zurich).