{{short description|Type of electric grand piano}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}} {{Use British English|date=October 2018}} [[File:NeoBechstein Flügel.jpg|thumb|right|Neo-Bechstein grand piano at the Vienna Technical Museum]] '''Neo-Bechstein''' or '''Bechstein-Siemens-Nernst-Flügel''' were a set of electric grand pianos that were primarily built by Walther Nernst in the 1930s. Improvising upon an electrical prototype by Oskar Vierling, the design was executed around 1922,<ref name="Coffey 2008"/> and the first of the set was marketed in 1931 to critical acclaim.<ref name="Schils2011">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rewixo7Mv0UC&pg=PA120|title=How James Watt Invented the Copier: Forgotten Inventions of Our Great Scientists|author=René Schils|date=14 December 2011|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-1-4614-0859-8|page=120|access-date=16 October 2018}}</ref> The mechanics of the piano were implemented by the C. Bechstein company and the valve electronics were created by Siemens & Halske. The design belonged to a newer generation of electric pianos that eliminated the presence of any sound board.

==Description== thumb|right|Keyboard transmission scheme for electric radio piano, describing how the micro hammer is connected to the main hammer thumb|right|Pickup mechanism Smaller than the dimensions of an ordinary grand piano, the Neo-Bechstein measured about {{convert|1.4|m}} in length<ref>{{cite book|author1=Bartel Hans-georg|author2=Huebener Rudolf P|title=Walther Nernst: Pioneer Of Physics, And Of Chemistry|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=78_ICgAAQBAJ&pg=PA300|access-date=12 January 2019|date=26 October 2007|publisher=World Scientific|isbn=978-981-4479-05-9|page=300}}</ref> and belonged to a newer generation of electric pianos that eliminated the presence of any sound board.<ref name="Holmes2015">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0cycCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA29|title=Electronic and Experimental Music: Technology, Music, and Culture|author=Thom Holmes|date=8 October 2015|publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-41023-2|page=29|access-date=16 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TZPLDQAAQBAJ&pg=77 |title=Studies in Musical Acoustics and Psychoacoustics|last=Schneider|first=Albrecht |date=26 December 2016 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9783319472928 |language=en|page=77}}</ref>

Thinner and shorter strings were grouped into 18 clusters<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rewixo7Mv0UC&pg=PA122|title=How James Watt Invented the Copier: Forgotten Inventions of Our Great Scientists|last=Schils |first=René|date=14 December 2011|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=9781461408598|language=en|pages=119–121}}</ref> of 5 strings each. The clusters all converged towards a pickup<ref name="Palmieri2004">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kr6TAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA120|title=The Piano: An Encyclopedia|author=Robert Palmieri|date=June 2004|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-94964-8|page=120 |access-date=19 October 2018}}</ref> followed by a membrane-less microphone. The oscillations were correspondingly transformed into electrical signals in a varying alternating current, which was made to pass through an adjustable electronic circuit comprising electron tubes, capacitors, resistors, etc., that acted as a filter.<ref name="Hans-georg 2007">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=78_ICgAAQBAJ&pg=301|title=Walther Nernst: Pioneer Of Physics, And Of Chemistry|last1=Hans-georg|first1=Bartel|last2=P|first2=Huebener Rudolf|date=26 October 2007|publisher=World Scientific|isbn=9789814479059|language=en|page=301}}</ref> The filtered signal was then amplified with a three-tube valve amplifier and broadcast through a pre-built loudspeaker.<ref name="Hans-georg 2007" />

The absence of a sound board and its substitution by electric amplification also meant a lighter framework and a lighter hammer action, which troubled conventional piano players.<ref name="Winckel">{{cite journal |last1=Winckel |first1=Fritz W. |title=Das Radio-Klavier von Bechstein-Siemens-Nernst |journal=Die Umschau |date=1931 |volume=35 |pages=840–843 |url=http://www.nernst.de/neobechstein/nb_u1931.htm |trans-title=The radio piano Bechstein-Siemens Nernst |publisher=Frankfurt am Main |language=de |issn=0722-8562}}</ref> This led to the usage of usual-sized hammers which struck a rail and which in turn drove a much smaller ''micro-hammer'' into the string itself.<ref name="Palmieri 2004">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kr6TAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA121|title=The Piano: An Encyclopedia|last=Palmieri|first=Robert|date=July 2004|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781135949648|language=en|page=121}}</ref> The micro hammers were invented by Hans Driescher, an employee of Nernst.<ref name="Winckel"/>

The instrument had two pedals. The right pedal acted upon the amplifier<ref name="KennedyBourne2004">{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/conciseoxforddic00kenn|url-access=registration|title=The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music|author1=Michael Kennedy|author2=Joyce Bourne|date=22 April 2004|publisher=Oxford University Press, USA|isbn=978-0-19-860884-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/conciseoxforddic00kenn/page/510 510]|access-date=17 October 2018}}</ref> and controlled the volume levels, which &ndash; coupled with the increased sustenance power of the instrument due to its lack of a sound board &ndash; gave rise to organ-like expressive possibilities.<ref name="Palmieri 2004" /> The left pedal generated either "cembalo" or "celesta" sound.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marksonpianos.com/bechstein-pianos/CarlBechstein_History.pdf|title=C. Bechstein: The legend lives on|date=August 2012|website=Markson Pianos|access-date=17 October 2018|page=22|archive-date=20 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020154445/http://www.marksonpianos.com/bechstein-pianos/CarlBechstein_History.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The instrument also had a speaker-cabinet fitted with a radio and a phonograph.<ref name="Palmieri 2004" />

==Sound== The resulting sound was noted to be distinctly different from that of an acoustic piano. The absence of a sound board coupled with the usage of micro-hammers not only led to a reduction in sound-amplification that increased the quality of sound but also lessened damping, producing an increase in its sustaining power.<ref name="Palmieri 2004" />

The Neo-Bechstein was one of the pioneer devices to feature a clear demarcation between the musical instrument itself and the loudspeaker, in that the mechanics of the piano were no longer involved in the ''direct'' production of sound, unlike existing electric pianos. Furthermore, the quality of the loudspeakers was good enough to not have any characteristic sound of their own.<ref name="Eck">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q126DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA76|title=Between Air and Electricity: Microphones and Loudspeakers as Musical Instruments|last=Eck|first=Cathy van|date=9 February 2017|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing USA|isbn=9781501327629|language=en|pages=76–80}}</ref> The instrument ushered in a new stage in acoustics development, wherein microphones and loudspeakers functioned well enough in stand-alone manner to be exploited for different approaches at the same time (reproducing and supporting).<ref name="Eck"/>

==Manufacture== The Czech piano manufacturer Petrof, founded by Antonín Petrof in the town of Hradec Králové, acquired the license for the production of the instrument in 1932.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xk45AQAAIAAJ|title=International Piano Quarterly: IPQ.|publisher=Gramophone Publications|year=2001|volume=5–6|location=London|page=49|issn=1368-9770|lccn=97001118|access-date=17 October 2018}}</ref> These were named and marketed in similar manner to the C. Bechstein, as the ''neo-Petrof''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pianohaus-berlin.com/petrof-klaviere-berlin/|title=Petrof Klaviere Berlin|website=Pianohaus-Listmann|access-date=19 October 2018}}</ref>

Estimates of the number of Neo-Bechstein pianos produced differ widely, from 150<ref name="Schils2011" /> to 15–20.<ref name="Coffey 2008">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UQt6glJEiGsC&pg=PA159|title=Cathedrals of Science: The Personalities and Rivalries That Made Modern Chemistry|last=Coffey|first=Patrick|date=29 August 2008|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780199717460|language=en|page=159}}</ref> Nernst sought a single cash payment for his design but instead received a royalty-fee offer from Siemens and Bechstein.<ref name="Coffey 2008" /> Two functioning copies exist, one of which is displayed in the Vienna Technical Museum.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.technischesmuseum.at/object/neo-bechstein-fluegel|title=Neo-Bechstein grand piano|last1=Haas|first1=Mag. Caroline|website=Vienna Technical Museum|publisher=Technisches Museum Wien|access-date=19 October 2018}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==Further reading== * {{cite journal |last1=Herrmann |first1=Dieter B. |title=Walther Nernst und sein Neo-Bechstein-Flügel. Eine Episode aus der Geschichte der elektronischen Musik |journal=NTM Series for History of Science, Technology and Medicine |date=1972 |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=40–48 |trans-title=Walther Nernst and his neo Bechstein grand piano. An episode from the history of electronic music |language=de}} * {{cite journal |last1=Schmitz |first1=Hans W. |title=Der Bechstein-Siemens-Nernst-Flügel. Technische Beschreibung |journal=Das mechanische Musikinstrument |date=April 1990 |volume=16 |issue=49 |pages=21–27 |trans-title=The Bechstein-Siemens-Nernst grand piano. Technical description |language=de |issn=0721-6092}} * {{cite journal |last1=Supper |first1=Martin |last2=Castine |first2=Peter |title=Peter Donhauser, Elektrische Klangmaschinen. Die Pionierzeit in Deutschland und Österreich (Electrical Sound Machines: The Pioneering Era in Germany and Austria). Böhlau, Wien, 2007. <nowiki>978-3-205-77593-5</nowiki>. |journal=Organised Sound |date=3 November 2008 |volume=13 |issue=3 |pages=270 |doi=10.1017/S1355771808000381 |trans-title=Elektrische Klangmaschinen. Die Pionierzeit in Deutschland und Österreich |publisher=Böhlau |location=Vienna |s2cid=62630041 |language=de}} * {{cite journal |title=Der elektrische Beethoven |journal=Blätter für Technikgeschichtef technology |date=2008 |volume=69–70 |page=117 |trans-title=The Electric Beethoven |publisher=Technisches museum Wien |location=Technical Museum Vienna |language=de |issn=0067-9127}}

==External links== * [https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/bechstein_neo_bechstein_fluegel.html#threadTop Neo-Bechstein Flügel]

Category:Electric pianos