The Piano-Smashing Fad
The fad of piano smashing reportedly began in 1963 at a technical school in Derby, England, but it quickly spread to American campuses via Caltech, where a "Piano Reduction Study Group" was formed.
The goal of piano smashing was "to reduce the piano, in the shortest possible time, to such a state that it may be passed through an aperture of 20 cm. in diameter." This was to be done by a maximum of six people using tools no heavier than 15.4 pounds each.
A record-setting time was achieved by students at Wayne State University who smashed a piano and passed it through a hole in 4 min 51 sec.
I wonder if this college fad was the inspiration for the Destructivist Art Movement, which emerged three years later, and also involved smashing pianos.
The goal of piano smashing was "to reduce the piano, in the shortest possible time, to such a state that it may be passed through an aperture of 20 cm. in diameter." This was to be done by a maximum of six people using tools no heavier than 15.4 pounds each.
A record-setting time was achieved by students at Wayne State University who smashed a piano and passed it through a hole in 4 min 51 sec.
I wonder if this college fad was the inspiration for the Destructivist Art Movement, which emerged three years later, and also involved smashing pianos.
Source of images: Life - Mar 8, 1963
Comments
I would go with the wisdom from Mythbuster Jamie Hyneman: "When in doubt, C-4."
Posted by Virtual in Carnate on 09/29/21 at 03:41 PM
Virtual in Carnate
15.4 pounds of C-4 and you could pass the piano through a 2 mm hole. The issue would be finding all the dust sized particles plus what was embedded in the crater.
15.4 pounds of C-4 and you could pass the piano through a 2 mm hole. The issue would be finding all the dust sized particles plus what was embedded in the crater.
Posted by eddi on 09/29/21 at 10:51 PM
For the frustrated pianist who was allowed to play in the marching band.
Posted by KDP on 09/30/21 at 09:50 AM
John Cage would approve.
Posted by Richard Bos on 10/02/21 at 01:23 PM
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Category: Fads | 1960s | Universities, Colleges, Private Schools and Academia