Little Rootie Tootie prt. 3
| Steinway prt 3.wav | Stuart prt 3.wav |
| Little Rootie Tootie Sound table 5.11 | |
Prt. 3 returns to the similar contrasts in playing style of prt.1
Little Rootie Tootie prt.4
| Steinway prt4.wav | Stuart prt4.wav |
| Little Rootie Tootie Sound table 5.12 | |
An improvisation on the chords of Little Rootie Tootie at a faster tempo is played as part 4. The quaver line show the Steinway sound to be ‘lighter’ than the Stuart’s. The Stuart has a heavier more percussive sound in this performance. A closer listen reveals that the left hand comping349 chords in the Stuart performance are heard to be louder in relation to the right hand quavers. Here we hear the ‘tenor’ register of the Stuart sound producing a more sensitive dynamic sound then the Steinway, possibly requiring a greater pianistic control. A similar dynamic was heard in the A major sections of themes 1 & 3 in the audio extracts of Commodo.
Conclusion Little Rootie Tootie audio excerpts.
The Stuart sounds more percussive than the Steinway in these excerpts. The melody notes are played with more tenuto on the Steinway. The Steinway sound in these excerpts could be described as sounding lighter, and brighter than the Stuart. Excerpt part four showed that the balance of sound level between the accompanying left chord and the right hand improvised quavers was differently played on each piano. The Steinway balance was more pianistic, with quieter left hand chords. The right hand chords of the Steinway sounded ‘clearer’ and ‘brighter’, possibly as a consequence of the quieter left hand chords. The Stuart sounded more ‘percussive’, and more ‘powerful’.
The pianist’s improvised interpretations of Little Rootie Tootie are very differently played on each piano. The Stuart is played in a heavier, louder manner, with more syncopation, whereas the Steinway is played slightly more gently with more tenuto.
Deep River – Jazz Piano, Concerts 5 and 6.
At concert No 5, 76% of the survey participants described the Steinway piano sound as being more ‘mellow & clear’ than the Stuart sound, and 59% described the Stuart sound as ‘bright & clear’. In the written comment responses, 100% of participants described the Steinway sound as being ‘brighter’ than the Stuart at concert No 5. Kevin Hunt performed improvisations on the spiritual Deep River on both pianos in concert No 5 as solo piano pieces.
349Term for chords that accompany the melody.
