12-16-200912-16-2009
Skinner Auctions
Skinner AuctionsMarlborough MA
December 16, 2009 10:00 AMCalender
1180

Steinway & Son Black Lacquer Baby Grand Piano

Sell one like this
$5,925$5,000
Auction: Discovery - 2488Location: MarlboroughDate / Time: December 17, 2009 10:00AM

Description:

Steinway & Son Black Lacquer Baby Grand Piano, New York, serial no. 99262, underside of case impressed "9 92 62" and "C2202," (case damage),case approx. lg. 73, wd. 56 1/4 in.

Provenance: Gifted to the Boston Public Library from Walter Hamor Piston, Jr. (1894-1976). Piston was born in Rockland, Maine and attended Harvard University, later joining the faculty, teaching numerous influential composers including Leonard Bernstein. In 1937 Piston wrote his Symphony No. 1 and conducted the Boston Symphony Orchestra for the premier of this composition in 1938. In 1943 Columbia University commissioned Piston's Symphony No. 2, which was premiered by the National Symphony Orchestra and resulted in a New York Music Critics' Circle award. His symphonies No. 3 and No. 7 went on to earn Pulitzer Prizes. Piston wrote four books on the technical aspects of music theory which are considered to be classics in their respective fields: Principles of Harmonic Analysis, Counterpoint, Orchestration and Harmony. The final book went through four editions during the author's lifetime, and was translated into several languages, and continues to be used by teachers and students of harmony.
Mr. Piston gifted two Steinways, his Pulitzer Medal, as well as many of his musical scores, manuscripts, and books to the Boston Public Library about 1976.
Estimate $2,000-4,000

Lid with two splits, leg with loss and damaged at joint with caster, case with minor losses, dents, scratches, wear, imperfections, soundboard appears to have at least two cracks.

Keywords

Walter Hamor Piston , Jr., Boston Public Library, Son Black Lacquer Baby Grand, Rockland, Harvard University, Leonard Bernstein, Maine, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Columbia University, Columbia, Music Critics' Circle award, National Symphony Orchestra, Piston's Symphony