What’s 89 years old and better than ever, thanks to a recent restoration? Evergreen’s Steinway and Sons Baby Grand Model B piano, of course!
The instrument was acquired by Evergreen’s Alice Warder Garrett in 1936, the same year its diaphragmatic soundboard was first patented. Garrett was an arts patron, who also trained as a singer in her youth. In the early 1920s, she worked with the Russian artist Léon Bakst to transform a gymnasium and classroom in Evergreen’s North Wing into a theater where she could perform and host outside performers. Garrett’s Model B likely complemented the talents of the young artists she invited to play in the Bakst Theatre, and provided professional-grade accompaniment for her own endeavors.
First produced in 1891 by the German-American company, Steinway & Sons, the Model B quickly gained a lasting reputation for quality playability and sound. It is still in production today and is well-respected for its refined tone and broad dynamic range. The only Steinway smaller than the company’s concert grand with a continuous bridge, the Model B has longer keys than any Steinway model and one continuous bent rim comprised of 16 layers of maple that provides structural integrity and gives the piano its well-known longevity. Perhaps most importantly, the piano includes Steinway’s diaphragmatic soundboard, which permits rich and sustaining sound in both concert halls and small spaces. Evergreen’s particular model retains its original finish of Adirondack red spruce, a heavy wood known for the rich sound it produces that is now difficult to source because of historic deforestation and other environmental factors.
However, as Evergreen’s Model B aged, tucked into a snug alcove to the left of the stage, it was played less frequently and fell out of tune. Hairline cracks formed in the bridge pins and the strings deteriorated, impacting its sound. Experts were called in for consultations. The piano could be saved, but it would need extensive restoration.
Then, two years ago, the Evergreen House Foundation—a private, independent organization established by Garrett to steward her collections—agreed to fund the restoration through a generous gift from Stockman Family Foundation. PianoCraft of Gaithersburg did the work, and, earlier this summer, the piano returned to Evergreen’s Bakst Theatre, good as new.
This Sunday, for the first time in years, the piano’s rich tones will once again resound through the Bakst Theatre, as Evergreen kicks off its 72nd Music at Evergreen concert series with a performance by renowned pianist Brian Ganz. The concert is sold out, but a limited number of tickets may be available at the door on the day. The concert starts promptly at 2 p.m. and will be followed by a reception with the performer. More information is available here.