Chappell of Bond Street (Shop) > Reviews (1)

Chappell of Bond Street is a music shop which specialises in sheet music and pianos / keyboards (particularly Yamaha).

Located, strangely, on New Bond Street, it appears to be a tiny little shop from the outside, with merely a window and a corridor as you enter.

This is all deception however, as once you pass through the hallowed threshold and down the stairs, you will discover a wealth of musical gubbins.

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Entrance
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As you enter, you will walk through the hi-tech room which usually has such things as Keyboards, Clavinovas, Electric Pianos, Synthesisers, Electric Drum kits and which also has a counter behind which you will find other intruments and bits and bobs (your reeds, pencils, cleaning stuff etc).

Most of the equipment is rigged up, and connected to headphones so that you can have a play. The electric drum kit is particularly fun.

You must then make a choice. On your left, is a large room of pianos, grand pianos, electric grand pianos and such like. But on the right is the holy of holies. The grail room. The room of SHEET MUSIC.

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Music Galore
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I have never discovered another place like this room. It is not a massive room, but is pleasingly large. And everywhere, as far as the eye can see, there is sheet music, albums, scores, selection books and books for all instruments from the Ocarina to the Pipe Organ (or from the accordion to the zither as you prefer). This is the musical equivalent of paradise.

In stock will be sheet music for the latest hits, Chappell's high quality backing tracks, and just about every piece of sheet music you can think of, and a few more besides.

But this is only part of the wonder that is Chappell of Bond Street.

For once you have gorged and sated your lust for music by browsing the shelves, there is one unique service that Chappell offer. It is a service for those of us who "know the song" but "don't know where to find it".

Behind the counter you will usually find a couple of gentlemen (camp as a field full of boy scouts) who could possible be the worlds most helpful shop salespeople. Except that they are more than this. They are walking encyclopaedias of knowledge.

Ask for any song, or piece of music and one of them will briskly disappear from the counter, and reappear but minutes later with a selection book, or sheet music (or sometimes both) containing the song. On occasions when they are not on duty, other lesser assistants can resort to the Chappell Computer which provides answers in a similar fashion.

I have seen these gentlemen find music even without the title being mentioned. Just a few lyrics from the song and a tunefully hummed melody can be sufficient.

You will find vocal music by performer / group, Musicals Selection books and scores, orchestral scores, single sheet music (old and new), piano, brass, reed, woodwind and string music, manuscript books, and everything else you would expect to find in a comprehensive music shop.

Finally, if they don't have it (which is very very rare) they can order it for you.

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The Piano Room
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For those who like pianos, there is a large piano room as mentioned above. The pianos are constantly checked for tuning and you will find everything from upright pianos to grand pianos (large and small) and player pianos (the ones that play themselves).

Just ask an assistant, clean the jam off your fingers and go and have a tinkle.

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More information
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More info can be obtained from

www.chappelloflondon.co.uk

Opening hours are 9am to 5pm, and the shop is located in the middle of New Bond Street in London. The nearest tube is Bond Street, and there is a large number of busses which go down Oxford Street, all of which will go past New Bond Street.