Current Broadway orchestras with an acoustic piano?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/15/22 at 11:37am

Seeing INTO THE WOODS at Encores (which has a baby grand onstage) made me wonder…I know CHICAGO has an acoustic piano. But is there ANY other current pit orchestra of a Broadway show that uses a real piano? I know it’s more of a hassle nowadays and the sound can be reliably imitated on a keyboard, but I really appreciate seeing/hearing an acoustic. 

Updated On: 5/15/22 at 11:37 AM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/15/22 at 11:46am

I asked this question back in 2016, obviously didn’t have the right terminology. Apparently Aladdin and wicked both have hybrid keyboards and Aladdins is a baby grand. 

Updated On: 5/15/22 at 11:46 AM

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 5/15/22 at 11:58am

I saw a video that went backstage at Come From Away,  and they talked about how the upright piano in the onstage band is actually a keyboard in a wooden shell. I assume that's because it's easier to mix the sound coming out of an electric instrument than an acoustic one. It wouldn't surprise me if Hadestown is doing the same thing with their upright.

[willep]

Posted: 5/15/22 at 12:18pm

I wonder if Girl From the North Country does this or if theirs is acoustic.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/15/22 at 12:31pm

Alex Kulak2 said: "I saw a video that went backstage atCome From Away,and they talked about how the upright piano in the onstage band is actually a keyboard in a wooden shell. I assume that's because it's easier to mix the sound coming out of an electric instrument than an acoustic one. It wouldn't surprise me if Hadestownis doing the same thing with their upright."

Yeah, this is the main reason for using a keyboard. The sound can go straight to a speaker/mixing board instead of having a mic near the piano which also picks up other sounds.

Though I don't even know how you'd classify a "Hybrid Piano" like Billy Joel and others use, which can also use different sounds. (I am in no way an expert in these things)

Updated On: 5/15/22 at 12:31 PM

[trpguyy]

Posted: 5/15/22 at 3:56pm

There’s a real acoustic (and MIDI enabled) grand piano in the pit of Aladdin, and it’s an acoustic upright piano for Hadestown on Broadway. 

Updated On: 5/15/22 at 03:56 PM

[pmensky]

Posted: 5/15/22 at 8:52pm

Mr. Saturday Night. JRB detests keyboards. 

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/15/22 at 8:57pm

The Music Man uses a real piano.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/16/22 at 10:35am

Does anyone know what they’ve used for waitress? It certainly looks like a baby grand, but it would seem near impossible to tour it, especially the non-equity tour. I could see it just being a keyboard in a baby grand set piece. 

[Ke3]

Posted: 5/16/22 at 3:06pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Does anyone know what they’ve used for waitress? It certainly looks like a baby grand, but it would seem near impossible to tour it, especially the non-equity tour. I could see it just being a keyboard in a baby grand set piece."

When the tour came to my theatre they used the baby grand we have in-house. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 1/28/24 at 10:12pm

Curious about the piano in the Days of Wine and Rose orchestra. Is that a grand or baby grand? 

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 1:02am

It’s a grand piano, not a baby grand.

The Connector uses a baby grand.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 10:26am

It's not a current Broadway orchestra (which is a shame), but Dave Malloy mandates that the piano part in Great Comet must be played on a real acoustic piano. In the composer notes for the conductor score, he writes:

"Digital keyboards emulating pianos sound fake, bad, cheap, shallow, and sad... anyone that tells you otherwise is wrong."

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 10:32am

Alex Kulak2 said: ""Digital keyboards emulating pianos sound fake, bad, cheap, shallow, and sad... anyone that tells you otherwise is wrong.""

I love this and agree with it, as impractical as it may be.

Harps are another thing that have never been successfully mimicked by a keyboard, imo.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 10:46am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Alex Kulak2 said: ""Digital keyboards emulating pianos sound fake, bad, cheap, shallow, and sad... anyone that tells you otherwise is wrong.""

I love this and agree with it, as impractical as it may be.

Harps are another thing that have never been successfully mimicked by a keyboard, imo."

I've wondered about this. I'm sure I'd notice a synthesized harp in a show like The Fantasticks, but they've also become so prevalent in modern Broadway orchestration that I don't always hear when a real harp is featured in a score.

Coincidentally, there is a synth harp used for a song in Great Comet, but Malloy said that was a stylistic choice over an economic one.

There was a live harp in the orchestra for The Notebook when it was in Chicago, so hopefully they keep that for Broadway.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 12:00pm

Yeah, a stylistic synth harp is one thing, but trying to make it sound like the real thing is another matter. I'd guess there are fewer harpists than some of the traditional pit musician roles, and a lot like to go into classical music (where the pay is better and prestige is higher) instead of theatre music. A harpist is harder to come by for amateur/regional/educational theatres than an acoustic piano. Can't imagine LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA or FANTASTICKS or WOODS or SUNDAY or NIGHT MUSIC without the harp part.

[auroraspice62]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 12:39pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Yeah, a stylistic synth harp is one thing, but trying to make it sound like the real thing is another matter. I'd guess there are fewer harpists than some of the traditional pit musician roles, and a lot like to go into classical music (where the pay is better and prestige is higher) instead of theatre music. A harpist is harder to come by for amateur/regional/educational theatres than an acoustic piano. Can't imagine LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA or FANTASTICKS or WOODS or SUNDAY or NIGHT MUSIC without the harp part."

No harp part in Woods. 😉

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 12:53pm

YOU'RE RIGHT. Just went back and listened and what I had stuck in my brain as harp is just the twinkly piano/celeste part.

[auroraspice62]

Posted: 1/29/24 at 1:03pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "YOU'RE RIGHT. Just went back and listened and what I had stuck in my brain as harp is just the twinkly piano/celeste part."

To be fair, the two Agonies are synth harp. So, your ears are being deceived a little bit.