My first stop was the Internet where I found the fine video of Roger, speaking articulately about his beautiful pianos and his business in Hanover. I called and was delighted when Roger answered. Even though it was Sunday morning, I left immediately for Hanover. From my first visit, Roger shared his immense knowledge about the science and art of pianos. He patiently showed me the difference in pianoactions, bringing the tiny scale that tuners use to measure the down and up weights of individual keys. Pianos are evaluated in terms of tone and touch. Roger and I share the thought that touch may be the more important characteristic, in part; because tone can be coaxed once the touch is there. I loved his expertise, and I left that afternoon, after a couple of wonderful hours, with a deeper appreciation of this miraculous instrument.
I spent the next week doing a great deal of research online, reading everything I could on different pianos. The Internet now provides video clips of many different pianos, being sold all over the country. One could hear the different tones, even amongst various pianos of the same make and model. I quickly realized it was partly about being educated and largely about falling in love.
I shopped other local dealers, and I wanted to return to Roger’s Piano. On my second visit, I had a better appreciation of what I was seeing. On that visit, I kept gravitating to one specific piano, a twenty-year-old baby grand Schimmel. It was a little higher than I had expected to go, but the piano, touch and tone, was exactlywhat I dreamed of owning. It took only two more days, of scouting other pianos in other showrooms, to know that it was the Schimmel that was going to join our family. Furthermore, I was delighted that the piano I wanted was Roger’s! I am totally satisfied with the quality and price I paid. Roger has been generous and gracious from the first time we met. He has given freely of his time. He educated and encouraged me. He provided additional information and was never intrusive in any way.
When I purchased the Schimmel, he offered to correct a small irregularity in several bass key covers, and he ended up putting in a considerable amount of extra time in order to make the keys perfect! In removing the action to adjust the key covers, he discovered an additional adjustment that significantly improved the sustain pedal. Not only did these slight changes thrill me, I could tell that they were exciting for Roger as well. A perfectionist, he loves these magnificent pianos, and it shows in everything he does. Roger’s extensive knowledge was evident, and I loved everything he shared. I learned about touch and balance. I now have a better appreciation of the workings of a piano, so even the prospect of an upcoming tuning is exciting. Roger feels like a friend. I hope to stay in touch in the months and years to come. He understood, the first day I visited, that I yearned to return to playing after a hiatus of nearly fifty years! Never did he push me to play…I was very shy and hesitant…so, in order to put me at ease, he played. That is how I heard the differences in the various pianos. Once the Schimmel was in my living room, he called to check, and, hearing the excitement in my voice, he said he knew my playing would come back. Roger understood.
