PIANO IS GERMAN

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30759, 25 May 1965, Page 16

PIANO IS GERMAN

No Foundation

For Criticism

The “American Steinway” which the Chinese concert pianist, Mr Fou Ts'ong criticised at the University of Canterbury was made in Steinway’s factory in Hamburg, Germany—and it is plainly labelled. The New Zealand pianist, Mr Maurice Till, who is on the university music staff, said yesterday: “The opinions of pianists about pianos are always likely to differ. It is largely a matter of personal taste and preference. “Thus the Wellington Town Hall Steinway which Mr Fou Ts’ong considers ‘not terribly good’ was highly praised last year by Artur Rubenstein as being a magnificent instrument. Mr Rubenstein was so pleased with the piano that he said he would very much like to own it. “Mr Fou Ts’ong may make his own comments about pianos but he is not entitled to describe the new Canterbury University Steinway as one of the mass-produced American pianos he dreads. "In fact I had the pleasure of selecting a new Steinway at the Hamburg factory last November and it is undoubtedly this same instrument which is now on the stage in the university hall.”