Europa
"Europa", Steinway
Art Case Piano, Model B, 2005
"Europa" uses Carpathian Elm Burl and Walnut burl
throughout. In a manner similiar to "Reflections" and
"Reflections in Cardinalwood",
a radial "fan" pattern was used in a number of variations
throughout the instrument. This fan pattern appears on the
fallboard, (behind the
keys) and on the music desk, using differing figure from
same burl but in a tighter configuration. The underside of
the lid is an overall
pattern entirely of Walnut burl radiating from the inside
bottom up toward the viewer. The top of the lid uses a
Carpathian Elm Burl in
a radiant central panel with the alignment joints
converging on the pianist. When the lid is raised and the
flap folded over the top, the
exposed Walnut burl is in alignment with the Carpathian
Burl of the central portion of the lid.
Most of the parts of the piano used bookmatched Carpathian
Burl interior panels separated with filletti
(using Sapele
veneer, a reference to
Reflections, my first Steinway commission) with a
bookmatched Walnut Burl border. The border on the outside
of the upper lid surface
presented very special issues, and opportunities. The angle
at the front right (treble) side of the lid is 90 degrees,
making a 45 degree mitre
possible, but the left front (bass) side is around 93
degrees, calling for a differing mitre angle. Going up the
bass side was and end-for end
bookmatch, which changed to a varying-angle radial
bookmatch around the end, and an inverted
radial
bookmatch in the recurve of the
middle treble side.
The upper lid of "Europa" may be the most complex piece of
bookmatched burl work done in this country, or elsewhere.
Rim
detail, "Europa"
The rim called
for special attention. Because of the aesthetic need for
the burls to bookmatch over the rear leg and the different
lengths of the treble and bass sides from the front
shoulders to the rear center, different sizes and numbers
of booking were necessary.
This was true of the central Carpathian Elm, and also of
the bordering Walnut burls. At seventeen feet in length, it
likely
represents the longest continuous piece of bookmatched burl
existing.
A thumb of "Europa" is used by Steinway on their website as
the representative image for their Art Case
collection.