Reviving Nannette Streicher, Part 2: The 1816 piano replica project
The second part of the article about the process of my completing the replica of an 1816 Nannette Streicher fortepiano, begun by my friend and colleague Margaret Hood before her too early passing appeared in the March 22, 2022 issue of The Piano Technicians Journal.
Reviving Nannette Streicher, Part 1: The 1816 Streicher piano replica project
Published in The Piano Technicians Journal (vol. 65, no. 2, Feb. 2022, pp 15-18): The first half of an article I wrote about my journey in completing a replica of an 1816 fortepiano by the famed piano builder Nannette Streicher that was begun by a mentor and friend, Margaret Hood, but who sadly passed away too young before its completion. Interestingly, the veneer of Cuban mahogany comes from a log, gifted to me by a Miami sculptor in my days there, that I sent to Margaret and that she sawed herself for the veneer. Now it has come back to me. The instrument debuted at the Boston Early Music Festival in 2019 and is now part of my personal collection.
Goliards Christmas Concert 2021, December 19, 2021
On Dec. 19 in the afternoon, I greatly enjoyed playing positive organ and hurdy gurdy with The Goliards under fearless leader, vielle player and arranger John Hillenbrand, at The Collegiate Church of St. Paul’s, 1802 Abercorn St., Savannah, Georgia to a fine, warm audience on a bleak damp winter afternoon. The gut strings behaved quite well. Other performers were Marcy Brenner, gamba, and singers Mac Fogle, Cuffy Sullivan, Verity Sullivan, and Fiona Sullivan .
Book Review in JAMIS: WIlliam Hettrick. The American Piano Industry: Episodes in the History of a Great Enterprise
Book review in Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society, vol. XLVII, 2021, pp. 199-202 of William Hettrick. The American Piano Industry: Episodes in the History of a Great Enterprise. Hillsdale, NY: Pendragon Press, 2020. American Music and Musicians Series 8. ISBN 2020910304..
mentioned in New York Times Article “The Woman who Built Beethoven’s Pianos
Anne was pleased to consult and be mentioned by notable writer Patricia Morrisroe in her November 6, 2020 New York times article about Nannette Streicher and her pianos. You can even find a photo of the replica Nannette Streicher piano from 1816 begun by Margaret Hood and completed by Anne.
Article in JAMIS special AMIS at Fifty: “The Right Stuff? Material changes for New and Antique Musical Instruments”
Anne was very pleased to be invited to contribute to the special American Musical Instrument Society’s 50th anniversary issue resulting in her article “The Right Stuff? Material changes for New and Antique Musical Instruments”, which considers the issues and changes in the materials that go into and even the redefinition of what constitutes a musical instrument, as well as issues of endangered species and restricted toxic components.
Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society: supplement to Volume XLVI: 2020/21
Inaugural Concert of 2021 Acker harpsichord commissioned by Central United Methodist Church of Florence, SC
Savannah Baroque Members Anne Acker, harpsichord and Marcy Brenner, viola da gamba and tenor viol will play works by anonymous, Dowland, Kerll, Froberger, Marais,Sweelinck, Bach, and Vivaldi and others, for the inaugural concert of the 2021 Acker harpsichord commissioned by Central United Methodist Church of Florence, SC. In person limited attendance. 265 West Cheves Street, Florence, South Carolina 29501 | p: 843-662-3218
April 17, 2021
Central United Methodist Church
265 West Cheves St.
Florence, SC 29501
3 p.m.
Report in Harpsichord & Fortepiano on the 2019 Westfield Center for Historic Keyboard Studies 40th Anniversary Conference
“Collections and Collectors: a report on the 40th Anniversary meeting of the Westfield Center for Historic Keyboard Studies at Oberlin Conservatory of Music on 23-26 October 2019” published in Harpsichord & Fortepiano, vol. 25, no. (Autumn 2020), Peacock Press, West Yorkshire, UK, pp. 38-39.
Book Review: Hydraulic Musical Automata in Italian Villas and other Ingenia 1400-2000
Book Review published in the Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society, vol. XLVI (2020), 228-232.
Patricio Barbieri. Hydraulic Musical Automata in Italian Villas and other Ingenia 1400-2000. Rome: Gangemi International, 2019, 544 pp. ISBN: 978-88-492-3813-6.
Hood/Acker Fortepiano after Nannette Streicher, 1816
I had the pleasure and duty to take on the completion of Margaret Hood’s unfinished last piano. After all, it is a design by a woman, Nannette Streicher, daughter of the famous piano Viennese maker Andreas Stein, the replica was begun by a woman, so, as I told Margaret’s husband after her too early passing, a woman needs to finish it. I had it playing for its debut at the 2019 Boston Early Music Festival, but have continued to refine it’s workings, and plan to restring it this coming summer with Stephen Birkett’s Historic Music Wire and releather it with historically made leather from Jason Leininger. then look out! I’m practicing my Schubert!