College kids vandalise a Steinway
mainYou see what we mean?
This happened last week in All Faiths Chapel at the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, Kansas State University.
Respect? No respect.
Photo Theresa Breymeyer
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At least it wasn’t a Bösendorfer
You are well named, sir.
The idiocy of American university “students” can often be astonishing, as I personally witnessed as an exchange student there in the 90’s. They very often behave more like children in preschool nursery or kindergarten, rathe than as adults seeking a higher education. It is a sad and sorry reflection of their country’s general lack of respect for culture, arts and anything that speaks to the soul, rather than to the wallet or various forms of aggression and violence.
You’re spot on…sadly enough. American students, overall, are infantile.
According to the Steinway website; a Model 274 (concert grand model D) weighs 500 kilos or just over 1100 lbs. As an act of vandalism, it would take several people to accomplish the deed. There is another possibility which is always a concern with these instruments. Did someone try to move it and it slipped off the edge of the stage; and while trying save the piano, it wound up in this position. The greatest weight is toward the keyboard side of the instrument.
Perhaps it was vandalism, perhaps an accident, in any case, I believe the instrument will survive. Sad to see the results.
Interesting to note that the C-clamp keyboard lock is still in place and the soft cover is still on the instrument. I am curious to hear more about the event.
Me, too. I’ve asked for an update.
More importantly, is this being treated as a terrorist incident?!
The anti-music Imam strikes again?
The FBI uses this classification table, depending on the religion of the perpetrator:
Muslim: Terrorism
Christian: Vandalism
Jewish: Self defense
Buddhist: Sexual violence or child sexual abuse (depending on the age of the person reincarnated as a piano)
Atheist: Un-American activities
Funny, thanks!
Hilarious…
Also:
Confucianism: ‘Confucius say: vandalism’.
Church of Mormon: ‘Let me in your house and I will tell you what happened to the piano’.
Judaism: ‘Why is it always OUR pianos that get vandalised?’
Maybe you should ask yourself, “Why do they hate us?” I fear a backlash against K-State students.
This was probably a prank, as the piano didn’t roll off the stage, otherwise it would have broken a leg. It’s not inconceivable that 6 men could flip a B-Steinway onto its lid. I don’t think the pianist suffered any damage.
Pathetic.
“All Faiths” chapel. So clearly a preparation for a service by the Church of Antichrist, symbolizing the reversal of the directions of hell and heaven.
So, it happened “sometime between Thursday night and Friday morning”…maybe they should check if there wasn’t a late night concert with experimental avant-garde “music”?
Like this one (vandalizing instruments as Art):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E99s36BJSUM
That video is from a Darmstadt Summer Course, the famous centre of avantgarde music from WW II onwards – continuing the violence with other means and in the end, returning to its origins.
At Darmstadt, violins are, in general, a welcome target, because of symbolizing ‘classical music’:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3kpvIXG1Qc
So, yes, probably the piano incident was mere avantgarde music.
PS I’m wrong, that video was not from Darmstadt. But it could easily have been, same repertoire.
As an antidote, the piano as an extension of the soul:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz1ZNZwcSG4
The above act of vandalism is quite tame compared to some cutting edge composition by a current teacher from the Hochschule fuer Musik in Hamburg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwlCD2y2tBA
Germans can be very thorough. If they hate their own musical tradition, they let you know for sure.
Indeed. I really don’t see the point in it and written a post on it: http://bit.ly/1NftVdA
Let’s not jump to conclusions. This could easily be just an accident. How you ask? The center of gravity is such that if the leg on the treble end rolled off because the casters were not locked down, the leg could have dropped off the stage and the lyre could have served as a pivot point.
You’re right about the lyre being strong enough to support the piano. But doesn’t it seem suspicious that the piano is perpendicular to the stage?
Actually if when they roll they always roll at an angle. If you look at the position and picture it rolling back you can easily see that the treble leg departed the stage first. Because of the curve in the stage the bass and back leg were still on the stage as it dropped. The caster of the treble leg rolling unlocked actually prevented the leg from breaking. Those Steinways are tough!
I’m thinking class project for Intermediate Baggage Handling 154.
They know who did it? How do they know it a was a student?
They don’t know:
Teri Breymeyer, administrative assistant for the school, said there is no known motive at this time.
“We don’t know if it’s a prank,” Breymeyer said.
None of the local news reports implicate “college kids.”
I wonder why nobody has named harpsichordists as the primary suspects yet.
Yes, there must be quite a level of bitterness raging in those circles.
It seems as though pianos are in growing danger at American universities…..in Kansas pianos go topsy-turvy and in Massachusetts they go flying off of rooftops.
Once they find the vandals, the cost of repairs PLUS treble damages should be added to their tuitions. A’holes!