The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: The Hidden World of the Paris AtelierBy the 19th century pianos everywhere: they shrank in the heat of the colonies, swayed on steamships and sang in the drawing room of every genteel home. Some of these old pianos have become treasured family heirlooms, some just firewood. But others have led a more itinerant life, occasionally finding their way to a secret, glass-roofed workshop in Paris where they are lovingly restored by a piano repairer with a passion for his job. When T.E. Carhart came upon Luc and his atelier, his life changed. As he explored the Eldorado of pianos in Luc's back room, absorbed Luc's wisdom on life and music and finally found the baby grand of his dreams, he rediscovered his deep love for this most magical of instruments. |
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Anna Anna's asked Luc atelier back room Bartolomeo Cristofori bass beautiful Bechstein Beethoven bench Bösendorfer cabinet called century chord concert grand conservatory courtyard delicate door entire Erard fall board Fazioli felt ferrailleur fingers floor France French front gave Gaveau grand piano György Sebök hammer hand harpsichord hear heard inside instrument keyboard keyboard instruments keys kind knew lessons listened looked Luc told Luc's Madame Gaillard master class Mathilde mechanism metal Miss Pemberton moved Mozart musicians never nodded notes once Paolo Fazioli Paris pedals pianist piece pitch played Pleyel practice quartier realized resonance Schola Sebök seemed sense sheet music side sitars smile someone sonata sound soundboard Steinway Stingl stopped strings student surprised talked things thought tone took tuner tuning pins turned upright Val di Fiemme voice walked wanted Well-Tempered Clavier window wondered wood wooden