ERWIN ALTEWISCHER DONATED AN
INSTRUMENT FROM A LEGACY
'I started piano lessons with Kees van der Ben when I was sixteen. He taught at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and also gave private lessons. It's been thirty years since I first sat down at his Steinway & Sons grand piano in his mansion. Model B-211, in high-gloss black, built in 1981.'
‘Due to an injury, I couldn't play for a year, but apart from that period, I always continued taking lessons with Kees. Even when I lived in Eindhoven, I regularly went to The Hague to practice on his Steinway. We got along very well on a personal level, and a friendship developed. Last year, Kees passed away at a very old age. I attended his funeral and played the piano. At the time, I didn't know that he had left the Steinway to me. When I heard that, I was truly touched. The fact that I donated the grand piano to The Netherlands Musical Instrument Foundation is due to my hearing problems. Unfortunately, this can also cause piano sounds to resonate unpleasantly. So I won't be sitting at that grand piano again anytime soon. But such a beautiful instrument is meant to be played. Kees felt the same way. The Netherlands Musical Instrument Foundation keeps me well informed about what's happening with the grand piano. For example, they informed me that it's currently in a concert hall in the eastern part of the country. The Steinway was recently featured on a radio concert. The Netherlands Musical Instrument Foundation had overhauled the instrument and fitted it with new strings. It sounded better than ever.’