For many years Sauter Piano Company has relied on a small but most reputable supplier of choice wood to furnish what many consider to be the heart of every piano: the soundboard. The wood is selected from the Northern mountains of Italy, as a matter fact, from the woods surrounding a small valley known as Val di Fiemme where also the makers of Stradivari and Guarneri violins obtained their wood. The company’s name is Ciresa s.r.l. and their reputation in the piano industry is legendary. Fabio Ognibeni, CEO of Ciresa s.r.l., agreed to share his unique perspective on Sauterforum:
Coming back from a business travel in Europe, where I visited several piano factories, I noticed that the international market crisis and the economical difficulties are damaging the industry of the musical instruments, and that some companies are heavly affected by this situation. I particularly noticed one aspect that had already come to light years before: during the periods of economical crisis, the companies that had made the brave choice to rely on their quality, were able to limit the damages therefore having more flexibility in a smaller market. On the other side, the factories that chose the policy of economic competitiveness (using low cost parts and materials) are now dealing with their own decisions and with the major problem of reducing drastically the production. There are pianos on the market, with important trade marks written over the keyboard, that are carefully perfected with great design in every detail of the case, but in their inside all the components assembled are cheap and of evident asian origin. Furthermore, these pianos are unable to compete in terms of prices with the chinese ones, which are invading the market worldwide (even if, in view of the economic crisis also the chinese companies are having difficulties, especially because they have to defend their huge production). 
Regarding the soundboards, I verified that often one tends to choose with too much easiness this kind of component, on the base of the price and aesthetic finishings.Nevertheless the technicians and piano makers are using many qualifying adjectives for the most important component of their pianos, or rather, the piece of wood that generates the sound.The soundboard is often made of poor quality wood with irregular grain, or using plywood veenered with an elegant and perfect wood layer.The heart of the instrument, therefore, is sometimes considered as a piece of carpentry, respectless both for the concept of acoustics (which is since centuries the base of making musical instruments) and for the customer who buys an instrument without its real soul. How much work and love for the wood are we waisting in our company in the Fiemme Valley? This is the question I’m asking myself considering what one can find on the market and the commercial behaviour of some piano manufacturers. Why have we devoted over thirty years of experience and passion to this very particular field, with researches, studies and laboratory tests? A great effort has been done to be present in the best pianos of the world with our soundboards. Nevertheless the market allows manufacturers to neglect the real quality, looking for a product in China (no matter what it is or how its made), which main value is only its low cost.If the market and the final consumer can’t judge or recognize the efforts of the specialists who work hard every day to give to the world of music a high quality solid spruce soundboard, well manufactured with selected and seasoned wood, tested and well finished, one could just feel discouraged in front of such a situation.
In spite of this, everyday I’m here working with great determination to create high quality products. One lives on the work for important clients that share the choice of quality and on the recognition coming from the clients themselves or sometimes from the pianists. I perceived a positive sign at the NAMM Exhibition 2009 in Los Angeles, where the Ciresa’s soundboards were present amongst the pianos of six different manufacturers: Sauter utilizes Ciresa sounboards for its grand pianos and some uprights, so does Fazioli, and several others. For the long business relationship and for the choice to support the quality of their instruments, I want to thank Mr. Ulrich Sauter.
As long as I can perceive that the tonewood of our soundboards produces enchanting music and arouse emotions into the heart of people all around the world, I will continue climbing the mountains of the Fiemme Valley where a centenary forest offers rare resonant trees capable of spreading the music held within their grain.After a skilled choice of the logs and through a long and specialized building process, I obtain excellent solid spruce soundboards, which will be handed over to qualified people who will use them to make instruments indentifiable amongst thousand of unknown origin, sometimes branded with famous European trademarks. I believe that the client who pays attention to the true quality, will go back requesting products and instruments capable of guaranteeing it, without being deceived. By these remarks, I would like to encourage my European colleagues Strunz and Kölbl Co., who also are working and selecting high quality European spruce, to keep the market and the quality of solid wood piano soundboards, accordingly to the tradition of piano manufacture. In my small niche work, always aiming at high quality products, I would like to leave a positive trace in the world of the acoustic pianos.
Fabio Ognibeni
Ciresa srl – Solid Spruce Soundboards since 1952
Caro Fabio- ti ringraziamo cordialmente per il tuo buon lavoro per noi e nostra industria.
|
