In 1980 and 1985, I was contracted by Bösendorfer to prepare an Imperial Bösendorfer grand piano for the Sydney International Piano Competition. At the '85 Competition contestants were talking quite openly about the 'marvellous' Fazioli grand pianos they'd been playing in Europe. I had never heard of these pianos before, so I made contact with Fazioli through the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Sydney. Fazioli's promotional literature contained testimonials from the pianists Vladimir Ashkenazy, Alfred Brendel and Cristina Ortiz - names well known in Sydney musical circles. This suggested to me that Fazioli was clearly a quality piano manufacturer to be taken seriously.

Ron E. Overs, November 1998

INDEX

OVERS PIANOS SUPPLY THE FIRST FAZIOLI CONCERT GRAND PIANO IN AUST. TO THE SYDNEY TOWN HALL

TO THE 'TUNERS VOICE' - ON FAZIOLI PIANO CONSTRUCTION

Fazioli Pianos, an Introduction

The Bridges

The Soundboard

Downbearing as applied to Fazioli pianos

The Fazioli (tuneable) aliquot system

The Fazioli duplex system

The Key frame

The Iron Frame

Conclusion

TO TRY A FAZIOLI IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
 

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The following article was published in the March 1995 edition of 'The Tuners Voice'.

OVERS PIANOS SUPPLY THE FIRST FAZIOLI

CONCERT GRAND PIANO IN AUSTRALIA TO THE SYDNEY TOWN HALL

In November 1994, the Sydney Town Hall took delivery of the first Fazioli concert grand piano to be purchased by a concert venue in Australia. After four years of supporting this proposal, Ron Overs and his team won the right to place a Fazioli F278, their preferred option for a new piano, in the Town Hall. We include in this month's newsletter Ron's account of the lead-up to the decision by the Sydney Town Hall to purchase the Fazioli, and the selection and supply of the piano. The following account of the background to the sale and delivery of the Fazioli to the Sydney Town Hall was written by Ron Overs.

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The purchase of a concert grand piano for the Sydney Town Hall had been under consideration since 1990. The Bösendorfer Imperial concert grand, purchased in 1981, had been a fine instrument, although it has been due for an overhaul since 1990. As piano technicians to the Sydney Town Hall, we recommended (in addition to the repair of the Bösendorfer) that consideration be given to the option of purchasing a Fazioli piano; in our view the Fazioli heralded a fresh approach to the manufacture of world class pianos. I found that my own interest in piano design was shared by Mr Fazioli. It was this that I welcomed most in his approach to piano building - this and his dedication to quality craftsmanship.

I first heard of Fazioli when preparing the piano Bösendorfer provided for the Sydney International Piano Competition in 1985. Subsequently, through asking international pianists about their experiences and opinions of Fazioli, I found those who had played them to be almost unanimously enthusiastic. The piano has finally returned to it's birthplace (Cristofori, the Italian instrument maker from Florence, is credited with the invention of the piano in 1709).

After a Sydney City Council mail out (1992), seeking the opinions of professionals in the music industry, (what make of piano should be purchased?), a split verdict was returned between Steinway and Fazioli (I do not know the exact figures, however, the Town Hall manager told me the result was an even split). The Sydney City Council subsequently called for tenders (July 1994) for the supply of a Fazioli or Steinway concert grand piano. We submitted a tender on behalf of Fazioli, expecting Steinway to be successful on the basis of its strength of reputation. To our surprise, our tender with Fazioli was accepted.

The piano was chosen from four pianos which Mr Fazioli made available at the factory for the Town Hall's representatives, Geoffrey Tozer and Diana Baker, to inspect on Wednesday November 9. I inspected the pianos prior to the Town Hall's representatives, to check them from a technical and manufacturing perspective.

Acting as agents for the sale of the Fazioli, we imported the chosen piano into Australia, undertaking its pre delivery service and delivery to the Sydney Town Hall.

The piano arrived in Sydney (via a DC10 freighter with 'Martinair Holland') on Wednesday November 22. It was regulated, tuned and prepared at our Concord West workshop prior to delivery to the Sydney Town Hall on Tuesday November 29. The opening Gala concert featured the Fazioli F278, Geoffrey Tozer, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra with Edo de Waart, on Wednesday November 30.

Mr Fazioli came to the opening concert, following an invitation to attend from myself and subsequently from the Lord Mayor of Sydney. He appeared thoroughly to enjoy this, his first visit to Australia.

Paolo Fazioli began piano manufacture in 1978. In this short time, he has established himself as one of the world's great piano makers. With his staff of fifteen he produces around fifty pianos a year. The reputation of his instruments, championed by such pianists as Ashkenazy, Brendel and Ortiz, has finally reached Australian shores.

While in Italy for the choosing of the piano, I spent a couple of interesting days at the factory, observing his work and discussing some of the finer points of piano design. We continued this discussion while he was in Sydney. As one would expect, he is passionately interested in piano design. He played some of our latest rebuilt concert grand pianos, showing particular interest in our own design modifications. However, his attitude was not one of taking in information like a sponge and giving up nothing in return (an attitude I have unfortunately found to be commonplace with some other piano designers). On the contrary, Mr Fazioli is always prepared to divulge his current thinking regarding good piano design, including such reasons as he felt justified his view. I found his 'open' attitude to be a refreshing change.
The agent for Fazioli in Auckland New Zealand, Mr Warren Sly, has successfully sold a few F212 and F228 Faziolis (ie 7' and 7'6" models) over the past four years. The piano at the Sydney Town Hall, while it is the first Fazioli concert grand piano in Australia, won't be the last, I feel sure.

Copyright © Ron E. Overs 1995.

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(Meanwhile back to the present, ie. November 1998)

I wrote an additional article for the March 1995 edition of 'The Tuners Voice'. This document was intended to provide background information on some of the design elements which Fazioli builds into his pianos. At the time I had not long returned from the Fazioli factory in Sacile. It was all pretty 'fresh in my mind'.

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TO THE 'TUNERS VOICE' - ON FAZIOLI PIANO CONSTRUCTION

Following our trip to the Fazioli factory in Sacile during November 1994, I prepared some notes on Fazioli pianos in order that I might in the first instance record for myself some of the more remarkable aspects of the Fazioli piano, and secondly, that I might be able to pass on my observations to others. I trust that the following has achieved in the main, both my objectives.

Ron E. Overs. February 1995

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Fazioli Pianos

In 1978, Mr Paolo Fazioli established his piano manufacturing factory in Sacile, a small town in northern Italy approximately 60 Km north east of Venice. He currently manufactures six piano models from a small grand of 156cm, to a concert grand of 308cm; the largest concert piano produced at this time.

The design of Fazioli pianos, including the scale designs (ie. the chosen or calculated string lengths), is completely original. Mr Fazioli incorporates a number of unique and traditional design elements into the manufacture of his instruments. These include the following;
 

The Bridges

The bridge notching now features a stepped relief, after the style of early Blüthner pianos. The bridges are made from vertically laminated stock and capped with European boxwood (Buxus sempervirons) in the top treble section, hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) in the second top section and maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) in the other bridge sections. The long bridge is attached to the soundboard in the tenor region only at the points where the soundboard ribs cross the bridges. The area between the ribs where the bridge would normally contact the soundboard is hollowed to allow greater flexibility between the bridge and the soundboard (a feature common to many other makers, including Steinway). The bridges are dowelled through from the bridge to each soundboard rib (approx 8 mm dia. dowel) throughout their entire length. The bass and treble bridges are joined to form a 'ring bridge' on the larger models. However, the 'ring bridge' on Fazioli pianos is low in height. This allows for the (iron plate) string hitch plate to continue through to the 'break' at a uniform height above the soundboard and therefore, for the easier setting and adjustment of the down bearing in the tenor area. The string back lengths are of 'normal' length at the 'ring bridge' on Fazioli pianos. The usual excessive string back lengths at the 'ring bridge' on pianos with this feature has been overcome with the design approach taken by Fazioli.
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The Soundboard

When the spruce is resawn to a thickness suitable for soundboard manufacture, boards with defects are used as two shorter lengths (cutting around the defect) where possible, or rejected altogether. The usual method of salvaging defective spruce boards through the insertion of shims is not practised at Fazioli. Sound boards are made from several boards of Italian red spruce which are accurately quarter sawn and glued together with aliphatic resin glue. The spruce for the soundboard ribs is selected with the grain running vertically only, and glued to the soundboard using animal glue. Holes cut in the soundboard for the set bolts (to a minimum diameter in Fazioli) are sealed (between the upper and lower faces of the soundboard) with glue to prevent relative humidity variations from encouraging the soundboard to split adjacent to the holes. Soundboard ribs are glued to the soundboard using a specially made press with a curved caul (each Fazioli model has its own soundboard caul for use in the same press). Prior to gluing the soundboard ribs (which are planed straight), the soundboard is dried in a 'hot box'. The curvature of the caul and the relative dryness of the soundboard prior to gluing are the elements which promote the crown in a Fazioli soundboard. The minimum Fazioli specification for soundboard crown is a rise of 9 mm per metre. However, production sound boards often have a higher crown than the specified minimum. Fazioli sound boards have significant crown along the line of the long bridge as well as along the line of the soundboard ribs. A special caul is used to glue the bridges to the soundboard with the desired curvature along its length, prior to the installation of the soundboard in the piano.

Traditionally, piano sound boards are relatively stiffer (and thicker) in the treble region for the effective production of the higher frequencies. Fazioli sound boards feature the addition of a thin triangular-shaped veneer of spruce which is glued to the treble corner of the soundboard (on the under side using animal glue, with the grain direction at 90 degrees to that of the soundboard), to increase the stiffness of the soundboard. This veneer layer fits between the soundboard and the treble corner soundboard ribs.
Fazioli soundboard ribs are relatively tall, measuring around 26 mm in height at their mid point. The soundboard grain direction is not placed at 90 degrees to that of the soundboard ribs (but close to 90 degrees). Mr Fazioli believes that this helps to discourage the sound boards from checking (cracking) in service.

As with other pianos of quality manufacture, Fazioli sound boards are carefully tapered at the edges (near the inner rim/belly rail/'cut off' bar) to improve the response of the soundboard.
Similarly, the inner rim (including the substantial bass corner 'cut-off bar' and belly rail) is shaped to match approximately the curvature of the soundboard prior to its installation in the piano.
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Down bearing as applied to Fazioli pianos

Fazioli pianos are set up with positive down bearing on the bridge of the instrument. However, the relatively high crown in the Fazioli soundboard allows for the down bearing to 'sink out' when the piano is pulled to pitch by as little as (up to) 50% of the original setting. Indeed, if the original down bearing setting drops out by more than 50% when the piano is strung, then the soundboard is considered not to have met it's required specification. The amount of down bearing set into the piano at assembly is carefully controlled. Mr Fazioli considers the setting of the down bearing to be critical. When applied accurately, it results in greater uniformity of tonal quality from one instrument to another.
 

The Fazioli (tuneable) aliquot system

Many grand pianos of contemporary design feature an aliquot system between the bridges and the hitch pins, ie. the string back lengths behind the bridges are designed to be a fixed ratio of the speaking length of each respective note. Unfortunately, the aliquot string lengths in most pianos do no more than approximate the intended ratio of the speaking lengths, as the 'stringing pillows' are manufactured as a single piece casting for a group of strings. When several 'stringing pillows' are cast together they cannot be moved individually to adjust the tuning of the aliquot string-lengths. The aliquot tuning in such pianos must therefore remain 'out of tune' with the tuning of the piano. The consequence of an 'out of tune' aliquot system is added 'noise', as opposed to the original intention of the aliqout system, ie. to embellish the tone quality of the treble registers.

The aliquot string lengths of Fazioli pianos are fully adjustable in service (stringing pillows are individual and moveable with the Fazioli adjusting tool). Mr Fazioli expects them to be tuned when the piano is tuned. He claims that pianos with properly tuned aliquot string lengths have a superior quality of tone and a longer sound (sustain) when compared to instruments with the aliquot strings 'out of tune'.
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The Fazioli duplex system

As with many other pianos of contemporary design, Fazioli pianos feature a capo' and duplex bar system in the top two treble sections. However, the capo'/duplex system on a Fazioli F278 begins on note F45 (the top note in the temperament for technicians who set the temperament from F33 to F45). The duplex and capo bars are completely adjustable in position (ie. at the factory only), when they are positioned with respect to the iron frame and the piano before they are pinned in position. When the Capo' bars are positioned correctly, the hammer strike point with the string will be correct when the hammer line is straight on the action. The correct hammer strike point is critical for tone production in the treble sections. Capo' bars which are cast as part of the iron frame have proved to be a problem for many piano manufacturers with respect to the setting of the hammer strike point. When the Capo' bar in such instruments is slightly out of position (as is often the case), the hammer strike line must be altered to set the strike ratio for the best quality of tone.
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The Key frame

The keyframe in Fazioli grand pianos is of standard design and construction with the exception of the following points;

a) In pianos of conventional design, the area of the key bed which supports the bedding screws is usually reinforced by the insertion of large hardwood dowels (often beech wood) to provide a hard wearing end grain surface. Bedding screws are a common source of noise when the soft pedal (una corda) is depressed. In the Fazioli piano the traditional dowel inserts are replaced by teflon to further reduce friction and noise.

b) The front (rail) of the key frame (ie. the rail containing the front guide pins) normally bears on the key bed along its entire length. The front rail in the Fazioli key frame is 'step relieved' along its length to reduce the contact area with the key bed. This is designed to reduce key bed noise and friction when the una corda pedal is depressed.

c) The front rail (as in Steinway pianos) is curved slightly upward at the ends (a gradual curvature extending along its length). When the touch blocks are in place, the front rail is depressed at the ends to contact the key bed. The upward curvature ensures that the key frame remains in contact with the key bed along its length. It is most important that good key frame-key bed contact is maintained to prevent keyboard noise during performance.

d) Action travel when the una corda pedal is depressed is usually limited by an adjustable screw located in the treble touch block. The screw (usually a countersunk wood screw) is adjusted by first removing the treble touch block from the piano, using a blade screw driver. The stop screw in Fazioli pianos has been replaced by a hexagon headed screw. This enables the adjustment of the stop screw to be made with a standard open ended spanner, without removing the touch block from the piano (Steinway have also incorporated this feature into their model D concert piano).
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The Iron Frame

The iron frame is quite conventional in design. However, the frame bars are generously proportioned in depth and sectional thickness. There is also (as in Bösendorfer pianos) a substantial 'cut-off bar' which intersects the long frame bars adjacent to the bass section and the first two of the treble section. This not only helps to improve the structural rigidity of the frame, but greatly reduces the capacity of the frame bars to resonate. Such unwanted resonance can interfere with the production of a clean tone.
 

Conclusion

After seeing and hearing Fazioli pianos I am left with the impression that these instruments have been the subject of a very careful design programme, and an equally fastidious process of manufacture. The end result is indeed gratifying. It is good and healthy to see a new piano manufacturer come into the market with instruments which appear to be moving piano design and performance just a little bit closer to the unattainable goal of perfection.

© Ron E. Overs 1995.

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PRESENT AVAILABILITY OF FAZIOLI IN AUSTRALIA

The above documentation has been provided to supplement the information contained on the Fazioli web site. The Fazioli site contains specifications of all six Fazioli models (all are grand pianos), the 156, 183, 212, 228, 278 and the 308. At this time (April 2001) there are no agents for Fazioli in Australia carrying any models in stock. For New Zealand, Slys Pianos in Auckland have been representing Fazioli for some years.

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