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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/dec/12/worlds-largest-piano-manchester-bog-harringay-challen-georgev-silver-jubilee
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| Did the world's largest piano sink in a Manchester bog? | Did the world's largest piano sink in a Manchester bog? |
| (8 days later) | |
| For reasons too irrelevant to detail here, I have become interested in piano-making in London, and especially in the construction of the world's largest piano 77 years ago in the suburb of Harringay (confusingly in Haringey; see etymoloigcal note at bottom of post). | For reasons too irrelevant to detail here, I have become interested in piano-making in London, and especially in the construction of the world's largest piano 77 years ago in the suburb of Harringay (confusingly in Haringey; see etymoloigcal note at bottom of post). |
| This magnificent beast was 11ft 8ins long – the size of two average blokes – and weighed more than a quarter of a ton. It was built by the much-esteemed but now defunct company Challen to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V. His formidable consort Queen Mary had it played to her at the British Industries Fair that year by the celebrated Billy Mayerl. You can share her joy via this Pathé News clip here. | This magnificent beast was 11ft 8ins long – the size of two average blokes – and weighed more than a quarter of a ton. It was built by the much-esteemed but now defunct company Challen to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V. His formidable consort Queen Mary had it played to her at the British Industries Fair that year by the celebrated Billy Mayerl. You can share her joy via this Pathé News clip here. |
| What has this to do with the north, as opposed to north London? Read on. The author of a piece about the monster instrument on Harringay Online – a model community website which doubtless many of my London colleagues read – describes an extraordinary finale to the piano's history. He writes: | What has this to do with the north, as opposed to north London? Read on. The author of a piece about the monster instrument on Harringay Online – a model community website which doubtless many of my London colleagues read – describes an extraordinary finale to the piano's history. He writes: |
| The piano was acquired by Lord and Lady Montrous of Manchester and was used at a garden party for the Royal Family in 1936. However, because of its excessive weight apparently it sunk into the boggy ground and was later used as a garden. | The piano was acquired by Lord and Lady Montrous of Manchester and was used at a garden party for the Royal Family in 1936. However, because of its excessive weight apparently it sunk into the boggy ground and was later used as a garden. |
Goodness! Can this possibly be true? The Northerner has search parties out all over the country, including an email conversation with the Harringay Online author, Hugh Flouch, and the outstandingly helpful staff at Manchester Central Library's local history department. The first is checking his references but has many other commitments; the second giggled winningly over the 'phone, but are on the case. | Goodness! Can this possibly be true? The Northerner has search parties out all over the country, including an email conversation with the Harringay Online author, Hugh Flouch, and the outstandingly helpful staff at Manchester Central Library's local history department. The first is checking his references but has many other commitments; the second giggled winningly over the 'phone, but are on the case. |
| There are obviously suspicious elements to the story. The name 'Montrous' is unknown to the peerage and unlikely in general, although Manchester is so cosmopolitan that it could exist. The notion that Manchester is boggy and has very small gardens also sounds like the sort of thing which many people in Haringey may believe. | There are obviously suspicious elements to the story. The name 'Montrous' is unknown to the peerage and unlikely in general, although Manchester is so cosmopolitan that it could exist. The notion that Manchester is boggy and has very small gardens also sounds like the sort of thing which many people in Haringey may believe. |
| Could a piano, however vast, turn into a garden anyway? Or has the word 'ornament' gone missing? | Could a piano, however vast, turn into a garden anyway? Or has the word 'ornament' gone missing? |
| Needless to say, we have Googled until our fingers ache. And there are tantalising references to a spell by the piano in a French chateau and a letter about it to the Piano Tuners' Quarterly of December 1940 from Charles Challen himself which is quoted in most online references. It says, inter alia: | Needless to say, we have Googled until our fingers ache. And there are tantalising references to a spell by the piano in a French chateau and a letter about it to the Piano Tuners' Quarterly of December 1940 from Charles Challen himself which is quoted in most online references. It says, inter alia: |
| It has created a profound impression in musical and engineering circles. It is eleven feet and eight inches long, weighs one and a quarter tons, and the combined tensile stress of the strings amounts to over thiry tons. The iron frame alone weighs six and a half hundred weight and the longest bass string is nine feet eleven inches. | It has created a profound impression in musical and engineering circles. It is eleven feet and eight inches long, weighs one and a quarter tons, and the combined tensile stress of the strings amounts to over thiry tons. The iron frame alone weighs six and a half hundred weight and the longest bass string is nine feet eleven inches. |
| The experimental work in connection with its production took over twelve months, and the cost amounted to over £600. In spite of its immense dimensions and strength, so perfectly has everything been calculated that it is even easier to play than an ordinary piano. It is a feat of British piano engineering, which places the British industry definitely on top. It was first shown at the British Industries fair in 1935, where it was inspected by H. M. the Queen, and was played for her by Billy Mayer. At a later date Sir Walford Davies, Master of the King's Music, also played the instrument and in reference to the piano he stated 'it is indeed a glorious instrument. It has the bass of an organ and yet the intimacy of touch and tone of the finest piano I have ever played. A great achievement'. | The experimental work in connection with its production took over twelve months, and the cost amounted to over £600. In spite of its immense dimensions and strength, so perfectly has everything been calculated that it is even easier to play than an ordinary piano. It is a feat of British piano engineering, which places the British industry definitely on top. It was first shown at the British Industries fair in 1935, where it was inspected by H. M. the Queen, and was played for her by Billy Mayer. At a later date Sir Walford Davies, Master of the King's Music, also played the instrument and in reference to the piano he stated 'it is indeed a glorious instrument. It has the bass of an organ and yet the intimacy of touch and tone of the finest piano I have ever played. A great achievement'. |
| Do you know anything about this? Can you help our stumbling attempts at investigative journalism? The Northerner's Christmas will be complete if we can settle the matter – and maybe even find and excavate the piano – by then. | Do you know anything about this? Can you help our stumbling attempts at investigative journalism? The Northerner's Christmas will be complete if we can settle the matter – and maybe even find and excavate the piano – by then. |
| Etymological note: the names 'Harringay' and 'Haringey' both come from the name of a Saxon chieftain called Haering, and the best thing to do if you want to know more about that is to read Harringay Online. | Etymological note: the names 'Harringay' and 'Haringey' both come from the name of a Saxon chieftain called Haering, and the best thing to do if you want to know more about that is to read Harringay Online. |
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