Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt – one of Bach’s critically recognized performers – owned a piano like no other: a Fazioli 278 model, with four pedals and valued at about $200,000 (approximately $195,000), instrument he played in various performances and concerts.
Recently, the artist recorded a series of variations of Beethoven at a prestigious studio in Berlin. While i was finalizing details, the shocking news came: the piano fell off and was destroyed when he wanted to move it.
Angela Hewitt and her model piano Fazioli 278
The piano weighed 590 kilos, and recently his strings and hammers were renewed. According to Hewitt’s testimony, it is the first time in 35 years of work that such an episode has followed: “They were mortified; at least no one got hurt.” The pianist described her loss through a Facebook post. “I’m ready now to share a very sad news story,” the post begins. “It happened ten days ago and it was such a shock to me that I didn’t want to immediately share it with the world. For now, I’m just going to write this and I’m not going to say anything else,” he said.
Sense message from pianist Angela Hewitt on Facebook
Shocked by the fact, the pianist clarified that the instrument was inspected by its creator and that there are no intentions to repair it or to manufacture a similar one. “I couldn’t believe it. But yes, it happened, and unfortunately the piano has been inspected by engineer Fazioli and his team and is unrecoverable. The iron frame was broken, as did most of its structure and movements (not to mention the lid and other parts of its box). It makes no sense, financially or artistically, to reconstruct the piano. It’s over,” he lamented. He loved that piano (which he has played since 2003). He was my best friend, the best partner. I loved how I felt when I recorded because it gave me the possibility to do whatever I wanted (…). You can hear it on Beethoven’s Variations CD which will be released in November,” follows his heartfelt letter. Hewitt is currently completing the insurance procedures. He will then travel to Sacile to choose a new piano at the Fazioli factory, which already has three new instruments. Although none compares to the four-pedal Fazioli 278 that its creator refuses to rebuild. In this note:
