December 2014

The mystery of the Chappell Concert Grand Piano

2

December 2014 3

Editorial — 4President Writes — 5Sales Encouragement Scheme — 5

Membership News — 6World Champion Piper — 7

Gavin Hartley, Precision Tool Engineer — 8Europiano Delegates Meeting Report — 10Meet the Council — 11

Membership Test Changes — 11

Music China 2014 — 12Students’ Pages — 14

Chappell Concert Grand Piano — 16

Chopin’s True Sound — 17PTA Kawai Training Day — 20

Images from Piano History — No 3 — 21

Piano Plate Breakage — 22

Codeword — 25

Council Report — 26

PTA Diary — 27

The next deadline for PTA News is: Friday 23rd January 2015.PTA News is the Newsletter of the Pianoforte Tuners’ Association. All views expressed are

those of the contributors, not necessarily reflecting those of the PTA or the editorial team.Please send items for publication to ‘The Editor’, preferably via email with photographs sent

separately from the text. Posted items can only be returned if accompanied by an SAE.Please obtain the necessary permission before submitting copyright items.

PTA News, 49 South Hamilton Street, KILMARNOCK, KA1 2DTEmail: ptanews@pianotuner.org.uk

To advertise in PTA News, at very reasonable rates, please contact:Mr Stephen Venn, 96 Anmore Road, Denmead, WATERLOOVILLE PO7 6NT.

Email: advertising@pianotuner.org.uk

CONTENTS

4

Number 3 of Dr Alastair Laurence’s series “Images from PianoHistory” is on p21 but the Chappell Concert Grand Cast-Iron Frame(No 2) adorns this cover so that its detail can be clearly seen. Cananyone shed any light on the mystery posed by Adrian Carpenter (p16)?

I had been putting off regulating a concert pianist’s newish grand pianowith a player piano mechanism but last week, thanks to the two most recent Training Days,I finally had the confidence to attempt it. Read Bill Gray’s diary of the Kawai Training Dayin Stirling, p20. Photographs are interspersed throughout the newsletter. Now I can’t waitto see the new facilities at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama — booking formenclosed with this newsletter. Partners are welcome to join the tour at the start of the dayand return later for the piano recital.

Gavin Hartley’s in-depth interview is on page 8. We meet new Council Member GaryWhiteland (p11). Important changes to the Membership Test are detailed on page10.Eri Onami’s recent visit to the Music China 2014 in Shanghai is told in photographs (p12).

I’d like to thank Malcolm Hodsdon and his client for sending me Ben MacIntyre’sarticle about Chopin’s pianos and The Times for permission to reprint it here (p17).The PTG of America invites PTA Members to their July 2015 convention in Denver (p19).The PTA library now has the latest CD Rom of past PTG Journals. Contact me if you findan article of particular interest as I will endeavour to obtain permission to print it. JohnThompson sent me one such article and via the PTG, I contacted the author Steve Brady,who kindly gave me permission to reprint his article here (p22).

PTA Librarian Reg Montague has a new email address: reg.montague@talktalk.netDo have a look at the official PTA Facebook page at

www.facebook.com/pianotunersassociation.Although not festive per se, some light hearted fun is supplied by Bob Morgan with his

clever Codeword (p25).Venues for the next 3 years Conventions and more dates for the diary are on p27.Finally, best wishes for a happy festive season and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

EDITORIALANNE BURTON

PTA TRAINING DAYSunday 15th March, 2015

Noon – 6.30pm Guildhall School of Music And Drama, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DTLecture/Demonstration from Malcolm McKeand on Tuning Stability

— the key to expert concert and recording tuning.Also included: tour of the GSMD and new Concert Hall, short piano

recital by GSMD Gold Medal Winner Ashley Fripp and light buffet lunch£45 for Members/Associates/Patrons, £10 PTA Students, £65 for non-Members

Book your place by 31st January 2015 using the form enclosed. Return the form with your payment to the PTA Secretary; contact details on page 27.

December 2014 5

THE PRESIDENT WRITESBRIAN FROST

I recently contacted a local colleague who had once been aPTA Member and asked him in the course of our conversationwhy he hadn’t renewed his Membership. His response was alongthe lines of ‘I didn’t get anything back from my Membership soI decided not to renew my subscription.’ A recent experience of mine showed me howpriceless Membership of the PTA can be and without which I would have had greatdifficulty resolving what could have been a very tricky situation.

I was carrying out a service on a quality German grand piano in a tiny cottage wherethere was no room to swing a mouse, let alone a cat. I had removed the keys to clean thekey frame and to my horror a handful of keys that I thought I had balanced safelyplunged onto the stone floor chipping four lips on the one-piece ivory. On discoveringthis I felt physically sick and stood for a few moments before check the damage again

– the keys were still chipped.After explaining the disaster to my customer, who thankfully was very understanding,

I had to think about how to resolve the situation I found myself in. This is wherecontacts I had made through my PTA Membership brought benefits. I was able to locatea source of one piece ivory and a workshop prepared to take on the job of replacing thedamaged coverings. The finished results were amazing and my customer was delighted.

My eternal thanks to all those who helped me through this difficult and stressfultime, you know who you are. I was also comforted by comments like ‘it could happento any of us Brian’. But next time I carry out a service where an exposed stone floor ispresent I will be more careful.

I am so grateful that I took the plunge and sat the PTA test nearly 20 years ago.I have met so many people at PTA events and Conventions, some who have becomevery good friends. The benefits I have gained from my Membership in the interveningyears have been priceless so if you are a non-Member reading this do consider joiningus. As we work mostly on our own in our day to day work it’s good to have the supportof fellow Members – one never knows when PTA Membership could help shoulda difficulty arise.

Brian FrostPTA President December 2014

VALE PIANOSTHROCKMORTON ROADTHROCKMORTON,PERSHOREWORCESTERSHIREWR10 2JYTELEPHONE: 01386 860419

STUART JONES PIANOSUNIT 20MOCHDRE ENTERPRISE PARK,NEWTOWN,POWYSSY16 4LETELEPHONE: 01686 623535

SALES ENCOURAGEMENT SCHEMEWe are pleased to announce that commission has been paid by the following

dealers under the PTA Piano Sales Encouragement Scheme:

6

MEMBERSHIP NEWSANNETTE SUMMERSA warm welcome to new PTA Students:S367 Mr F M Elliot-Wright 76 Wayland Road, SHEFFIELD

South YorkshireS11 8YE

Tel: 0114 267 0712Mob: 07932 993855

fmelliotwright@gmail.comS368 Mr D J Henderson 152 Beacon Hill Road, NEWARK

Nottinghamshire NG24 2JJTel: 07597 649894davidhenderson86@googlemail.com

Please note these changes to the 2014/15 Year Book:A65 Mr Paul Duggan (new address)

Flat 2 Withywind Court,4 Beauchamp Lane,OXFORD OX4 3LFTel: 07879 408698oxfordpiano@yahoo.co.uk

Mr Reg Montague (new email address) reg.montague@talktalk.netApplications to become a PTA Associate have been received from: Mr Graham S Brown Wellbank, Main Street

Howwood, JOHNSTONERenfrewshire PA9 1AWTel: 01505 702623Mob: 07979 912698

Mr John McIntyre 8 Caddam Road, Coupar Angus, BLAIRGOWRIE

Perthshire PH13 9EGTel: 01828 628181Mob: 07831 166661

PTA Library new email address: reg.montague@talktalk.netPlease send all changes of address, telephone and email to The Secretaryusing the contact details on Page 27

December 2014 7

Congratulations to PTA Member Stuart Liddell who has been crowned ‘the best of thebest’ by winning the Glenfiddich Solo Piping Championship at Blair Castle in BlairAtholl for the second time. The competition is by invitation only to the world’s top tenpipers to compete for the Glenfiddich Trophy. Photograph by Derek Maxwell.

WORLD CHAMPION PIPER STUART LIDDELL

8

INTERVIEW WITH GAVIN HARTLEYPRECISION TOOL ENGINEER

What type of job did you have in aerospace engineering?Was it covered by the official secrets act?I worked for a company that made small gas turbine (jet) engines.

I was mainly responsible for the building and repairing of one line ofengines that the company made as well as all aspects of development ofthe engine (including new variants) and running ancillaries. There was nothing covered byofficial secrets (we didn’t supply the government) but the company had some well-knowncustomers in the aero sector. I was involved with developing a special power-unit for BAESystems which required the company to sign a confidentiality agreement. I was asked toreturn to work whilst on the course at Newark, where I was responsible for the developmentof a running and monitoring station for use in research laboratories and universities.

How and where did you learn tool making?I was introduced to ‘real’ practical engineering through work and I gradually made a

workshop of my own at home from where I could do jobs for work, myself and otherpeople (one-off jobs for friends, from model aeroplane parts to motorbike parts). It was justa hobby at the time, I never made any money from anything but I enjoyed the satisfaction.

Did you make your own tools for aerospace work?Yes, gas turbines, in particular small ones, have incredibly tight tolerances but the

pressures of production mean that ways have to be found of achieving these tolerancesreliably and without spending excessive time hand-matching which means lots of jigs andfixtures have to be made bespoke to each job. This and making one-off parts forexperiments and prototypes was a large part of my job. It’s not an exaggeration to say thatmy piano tools are made to the same standard as a jet engine.

What attracted you to the course at Newark?I left my old job and was looking for a change of scene without the pressures I had

become accustomed to. I had just started to learn to play the piano (I had a digital at thetime, spit!) and I found the course by accident one day whilst I was looking around on theInternet. I didn’t get the chance to give it too much thought as I was such a late applicantthat I was on the course almost before I knew it. I really had no idea at the time of exactlywhat being a piano tuner/technician would involve but there was something about workingwith musical instruments that appealed to me. I completed the course, graduating in 2013.

Did you enjoy the course? What did you like best?I’m not sure if anyone who has gone through the process of learning to tune pianos

would say that it is enjoyable! I did enjoy being on the course very much though; I wascertainly sad when I had finished. The best thing, without doubt, was the people I met andbecame friends with; some of the best (and most unusual!) people I’ve ever known.

Do you still tune?I tune occasionally but as well as my tool making, I teach engineering part-time at

Newark College which leaves me with a very full schedule and little time for anything else.To what extent to you intend to widen the scope of your business?Due to the nature of what I do and how I work, and as I’m just one man, hand-making

my tools, I’m never going to be able to produce things in high volume. This I see as being

December 2014 9

my strength as I am able to make tools to the highest possible standard of workmanshipand design with the flexibility of being able to design and make fully bespoke tools toexactly my customers’ requirements. I plan to continue as I am, introducing and refiningnew tools, as long as there is demand for what I do as it gives me enormous satisfaction.

Do you see tool making as your future rather than tuning? Do you expect to do both?I see tool making, along with my work at Newark College, as the main focus of my

time for the foreseeable future. I will continue to tune as I like to keep my (hard-earned)skill up and as it allows me to test my tools and develop new ideas for future ones.

Will you come to the Convention next year?Yes, certainly. The feedback I’ve had from this year’s has been so positive that

I would like to attend for more of the Convention next time .Do you play the piano? Do you have a piano at home? If so, what is it?I do play the piano when I can; I’m not much of a pianist (as my neighbours would

attest!) but I do enjoy it. I have a modern Kemble Oxford (upright) which I’m rather fondof. It’s quite short, has hardly the richest of bass, is a bit on the bright side and I don’tgive the tuning as much attention as I ought to, but I wouldn’t like to be without it.

How did you come to be at the Bolton Convention?I found out about the Convention from the PTA Newsletter and contacted Andrew

Jamieson (via Matthew Gough) who kindly sorted out the details of my attendance.I might not have been at the Convention but for the fact that Bolton is fairly local to meand knowing that the next Convention could be anywhere in the UK decided to take thechance. I’m very glad I did; I’ve had nothing other than good feedback from everyoneinvolved with the PTA and its members.

I can be contacted at ghartleyeng@googlemail.com or on 0797 1971147

STEVE VENN writes about Gavin’s tuning lever:Having heard a number of people over the last couple of years praising the virtues ofcarbon fibre tuning levers I had been thinking for some time that I would like to try one

– but with the various types available I could not decide which to go for. Then at theConvention in May I saw Gavin Hartley’s products, giving me the chance for a close-uplook. I was impressed by the design, quality and feel of these tools and decided to takethe plunge and get one.Having used it now for 5 months I would not want to go back to a standard steel lever.I like the weight, which although only slightly lighter than the Steinway pattern actuallyfeels a lot lighter and better balanced. It uses the 2 part head and tip system, and with theWatanabe tips I seem to be getting a better fit to the wrest pins of most pianos. This,along with the stiffness of the carbon fibre shaft gives me a feeling of direct contact withwhat the pin is doing.I find no “down-side” to this tool – except perhaps the slightly less convenient head/tipchanging for different size pins or when a longer head is needed for more clearance.As this is a much more flexible system it is well worth the extra few seconds this takes!

So was it worth the £300 or so of the complete set-up? I wouldn’t say it makes mytuning significantly faster, but I believe my tunings are possibly slightly more stable. It iscertainly more enjoyable to use (if we are meant to enjoy tuning!) and I think it is alwaysgood to use the best, most efficient tools that are available (or that I can afford).

I definitely have no regrets!

10

EUROPIANO DELEGATES MEETING REPORTBRIAN FROST

The November Europiano Delegates’ meeting was held at the French training collegefor musical instrument technicians, ITEM, in Le Mans on the 8th. About 120 studentsattend full, part time and short 3 day ‘top up’ courses. The courses are in 2 year blockswith the maximum being 6 years.The management of the college are very keep to establish links with both training collegesand professional associations throughout Europe and the rest of the world.

Seventeen Associations are Members of Europiano so it was rather disappointing thatonly eight were in attendance at this gathering. The ABPT did not attend again.

Once again there were ‘focus group’ meetings before the main delegates meeting onSaturday afternoon. Everyone joined in on a discussion about whether EP should havea paid manager/director who would oversee the day to day running of the organisation.The German Association already have a Company that runs the BDK on their behalf.The German annual subscription is similar to that of the PTA and about 70% of this is paidto the managing company. The proposal by the EP President would mean an extra levyof $25.00 per association Member would need to be raised if EP adopted a similarapproach. Although a formal vote was not taken, I felt that most of those attending wouldnot support the idea, including the EP Treasurer.

On Saturday morning were split into the following groups: Congress, Home Page,Magazine and EP Degree. I was in the Home Page group.

In the ‘Home Page’ group we mainly discussed how the site can be improved andmade clearer for Congress booking. We also discussed the general layout and I suggestedusing country flags on the Associations page for easy identification. I have offered to help

‘tidy up’ the English translations on the site.The Degree Committee reported that they had discussed both level 2 and 3 of the EP

degree. They also reported that the current exam fee does cover the costs involved.An increase in the time from 1 to 1½ hours for the repair section of the 1st degree wasagreed. There will be a meeting at the German training college in July to discuss in detailwhat will be involved in the 2nd level of the EP Degree.Do we need to send a representative?

The EP Magazine committee reported that there will be a special edition printed forthe Congress in Moscow next year with an introduction by the Russian Association.Before the digital archive of back issue EP magazines can be made generally accessible,problems have to be overcome as to how non-subscribers can be excluded from accessingpast issues.

The Congress committee reported that on-line booking should open soon. There willbe a delegates meeting in Moscow on September 10th and the PTA needs to decidewhether to send a Delegate. The costs for this will be around £1000 – a ‘normal’Delegates meeting costs the Association £700-£800.

Although poorly attended, this was a good meeting and worth attending.

Brian FrostPTA President, November 2014

December 2014 11

I joined Kemble Pianos as a trainee piano tuner in 1983 starting with chipping up andmoving on through rough tuning to fine tuning. I wanted to develop my skills with a

view to working for myself so I joinedNewark College in 1985. After leaving in1988, I joined Peter Newham’sworkshop in Cheltenham where, for twoyears, I was involved in tuning andrestoration. In 1990, I spent a yeartravelling and tuning pianos in Australia.

I moved to Bristol in 1991 and set up asa self-employed piano tuner. I startedfrom scratch and set about advertising in

all the usual places and slowly filled the diary with tunings. I hadsome help from fellow Newark student Chris Farthing, and wecontinue to help each other out today. I joined the PTA around thistime and have taken advantage of the training days at Steinway andmore recently at Jaques Samuel's. As a non-active (but activelybenefiting) Member, I felt it was time to put something back in tothe Association, so I have joined the Council. I enjoy the variety ofmy job; every day with different people in new places.  My days areas different as the pianos I tune – each one a new challenge.

MEET THE COUNCILGARY WHITELAND

PTA MEMBERSHIP TEST CHANGESThe Test Sub Committee has made changes to the present entrance test which will

begin with all tests taken from 1st March 2015.The following changes to the present entrance test have been agreed by Council:

To change the requirement of fitting a broken steel wire string under the bass strings –to fitting a steel wire string in the treble section of the piano.

Five note regulation –At present 2 faults on 5 notes (ten faults in total) on an upright model / piano –this to be amended to 2 faults on 4 notes (eight in total) on both a grand and uprightmodel / piano.

With the introduction of an ‘easier’ string repair and the reduction from 2 faults onfive notes to only 4 notes, the time saved would allow the candidate to complete thisnew grand regulation section of the test within the present two hour timescale.

12

MUSIC CHINA 2014, SHANGHAIBY ERI ONAMI

I went to Music China 2014 in Shanghai, flying from Hong Kongwhich takes about 2½ hours. Held from 8th to 11th October, this is thelargest Asia Pacific music industry event and more than 1,775manufacturers and suppliers from 29 countries exhibited. I only had a daythere but enjoyed meeting many pianos with the Piano Fairy. It’s goteverything; from beautiful, elegant pianos from Europe to the very cuteHello Kitty piano, and there were also many Chinese piano manufacturers.Let’s take a look at it.

SCHIMMEL produced a beautiful marquetry inlaid art case grand piano.Inlay demonstration by an artisan.

December 2014 13

There was also a Japanese section by JETRO APPOLLO Child’s Piano

Pearl River Piano produced a special art case piano with a famous Chinese art motif

Disney Cinderella pianoBRAHMSS like “Brahms”?

Colourful pianosButterflies float by on this beautiful art case piano

14

STUDENTS’ PAGESPTG Review38* Steps to Endearmentby Sid Stone, RPT, Chairman, Ethics Committee

17. Encourage children to ask questions.Most kids are inquisitive. They want to know what you are doing. A few minutes

answering their questions pays off. Explain how a piano works, how a piano is tuned,and why it is important to be quiet while it is tuned. Speak loud enough so the mothercan hear you from the other room. You do not want her running a vacuum sweeper orhaving a loud radio or TV programme on.

Kids are interested in tuning forks, especially if they have seen one in school.A little trick I sometimes use is to strike the fork on my knee and touch the vibratingfork to a kid’s nose. I then ask him or her how many times did the fork touch their noseif it stayed there half a second. They cannot believe 220 times. An interestingphenomenon I have found is that very small children, especially Oriental children, donot flinch one bit when this happens. The reason for this is beyond the scope of thisarticle. In other words, I have not the faintest idea. Older children and adults (try it andsee) jump and start rubbing their noses.

18. Show a genuine interest in and a love for children.Kids these days may not be as lovable as kids were in years gone by. When I was

a youngster many moons ago, I was sometimes allowed to go with my mother to thegeneral store. Before leaving, I was given a balloon. When that happened we weretaught to say, “Thank you, Sir.” Nowadays if a kid is given a balloon he might be moreapt to say “Blow it up!” Fortunately, today’s children whose parents are musicallyinclined are usually better trained, except for one. I was tuning away when a kid cameinto the room and instructed me not to be so loud. It was interfering with his television.

Do not pay attention to what W. C. Fields once said, “Anyone who hates dogs andkids can’t be all bad.” Our old friend, Sam, must have been an acquaintance with W. C.Fields. Sam loved kids almost as much as he loved drug dealers, illegal immigrants andDemocrats. One time when Sam was tuning a piano, he said to the kid who wasbothering him, “Go and tell your mother she wants you.” Sam had a lot of good points,but his attitude toward children was not the best design for endearment.

A better attitude would be that of Will Rogers, who said, “I never met a child I didnot like.” Okay, he said “a man,” but the same could be said for a child. If you show achild that you like him or her, that is one good way of gaining the favour of the mother.

Show an interest in the musical education of the children. If a child is shy, you canbreak the ice by asking, “Are you the piano player?”

19. Learn and record the names of the children.Everyone, including children, likes to have others remember their names. Put theirnames on 3” x 5” cards for future reference. One drawback to having the name onrecord is if you happen to meet the family in the mall or somewhere else. Theyrecognise you because you are their only piano tuner. Do you recognise them out of thehundreds or thousands of clients? You may not recognise the parent let alone the namesof their children. Be prepared for such an encounter.

December 2014 15

20. Get the birthdays of the children.It is better to record the month, day and year than their ages. Ages change from

year to year, but birthdays do not. With birthdates on record you can easily figure theirages, even if it is a few years before seeing them again.

To make a special impression, send out birthday cards. Have a supply of designedbirthday cards on hand. (If this is a good idea, perhaps PTG can have them available.)A word of caution: If you embark on such a programme, be prepared to continue it aslong as you have that client.

21. Tell the age of the piano.If the client asks you how old their piano is, you may be able, after a studied

inspection of the case, to tell exactly how old it is. Then, as they are watching you, getthe Piano Atlas out of the kit and show them. Of course, they do not know that whilethey were out of the room you sneaked a look. Do you suppose that some of Sam hasrubbed off on me? Nevertheless, that is one way, devious as it may be, to be endearedto the client.

22. Go beyond the call of duty.A good sign of endearment is when the client

says, “Why, my last tuner never did that.” Thiscould happen after you vacuumed the piano,adjusted a bouncing hammer, tightened bench bolts,removed a surface scratch with your almondstick**, replaced worn out rubber-headed tacks,took up excessive play in the pedal, etc. Any ofthese, or most of them, could be done in minutes.This fosters endearment.

To be continued…Extract from article reproduced with permission from the PTG

Notes*38 Steps … one step beyond Yamaha’s 37 Steps.

** As it says on its tin: Zenith Tibet Almond Stick – wipe out furniture scratches quick-as-a-wink.References to the client have been changed to become gender neutral

STUDENTS — still just £10 to attend the Training Day with Malcolm McKeand at theGuildhall School of Music and Drama on Sunday 15th March 2015. Places are limited.Book early to reserve your place. Application deadline 31st January 2015.

16

CHAPPELL CONCERT GRANDBY ADRIAN CARPENTER

My eyes almost popped out on stalks when I saw, in the last edition of PTANews, the picture of the cast-iron frame of an 8’ 9” Chappell concert grand. In themid-80s, I used to tune one of these rare specimens at Rolle College (a teacher trainingestablishment) in Exmouth, and it was believed to be the one originally used at TheQueens Hall. It had been restored and fully restrung, but alas the wrestpins were soloose that it became untunable. Taking out one of the wrestpins, which looked massiveand which my biggest tuning head only just fitted, it became obvious that no furtherincrease in pin-size was possible. So with a gulp, I informed the Head of Music that amajor job...i.e. fitting a new wrestplank... was needed. Amazingly, he managed to getthis work agreed by the College, and I found myself tackling a job of dimensions I hadnever before contemplated. After the beast arrived in my workshop, I decided to involve two other

‘professionals’, Friend No.1 a cabinet maker, and Friend No.2 my tame piano removalsman. The latter helped me to rig up a huge A-frame with a block and tackle to lift outthe plate. This was scary, because even though the load was taken at various points,the plate flexed alarmingly. Even more scary was turning it over (five of us did it) towork on wrestplank removal and re-fitting.  Friend No.1 helped detach the oldwrestplank and to shape the new one to the same dimensions. This turned out to be abig job as the old plank was thinner. The new one had to be planed down, otherwise itwould never have been possible to insert or remove the action.  Apparently thetoughness of the new wrestplank (beech ply, I think) blunted his powered planingmachine twice over. Shaping it to fit the frame flange was easier...and we did cheat byusing just a smidgen of two-pack resin to ensure a totally snug fit. Drilling the new wrestplank I did alone so as to avoid distractions. I used a lip-and-spur bit ...well, several in fact...and a moveable drill stand angled at 5 degreesbackwards from the vertical. After all was done, sighs of relief came from the whole team. It made re-stringingseem like a doddle. The only shame was seeing all the ‘old’ bass strings (probablyonly fitted 5 years before) in the bin. The piano was returned to Rolle College and had a successful but sadly shortconcert career because the Music Department was closed, and the site became part ofthe University of Plymouth. I have not seen this historic Chappell for 20 years or more, so if anyone knowswhat happened to it, I'd be interested to hear.

December 2014 17

Musicians have always sought to replicate the divine sounds that Frederic Chopinmade on the piano at the height of his powers. Now they have a chance to do exactlythat, after the discovery of the composer's own grand piano, which he brought toEngland in 1848 for the last great concert tour of his life. Chopin's French-made pianodisappeared into obscurity after his death, but more than 150 years later it has beentracked down to an English country house.

Two decades ago Alec Cobbe, a collector of antique keyboard instruments,purchased the Pleyel piano for just pounds 2,000. However, it was not until this yearthat the instrument was revealed to be Chopin's own beloved instrument, after aremarkable piece of detective work by Jean-Jacques Eigeldinger, one of the foremostChopin scholars.

The discovery of the instrument, which is on display at Hatchlands, the NationalTrust house in Surrey where the Cobbe Collection of pianos is housed, will enableBritish music lovers to hear what Chopin's music would have sounded like to the greatcomposer in his own salon.

The Polish-born composer was deeply attached to the piano, manufactured in Parisby his close friend Camille Pleyel. Indeed, there appears to have been a verbal contractbetween the pianomaker and the composer, similar to a modern sponsorship deal:Pleyel agreed to provide Chopin with the pianos he loved, free of charge, and in returnChopin promoted Pleyel pianos to his pupils and admirers (and received a 10 per centcommission from resulting sales).

"Pleyel pianos are the last word in perfection," Chopin once remarked.Chopin had lived in Paris since 1831, but left for London in 1848, fleeing

revolutionary France and bringing with him a Pleyel piano made two years earlier andpersonally selected by the composer. It is almost certainly the one depicted in awatercolour of Chopin's Paris apartment, on which he gave one of the earliestrenditions of his cello sonata.

John Broadwood & Sons, the English piano-maker, had agreed to provide thecomposer with pianos during his stay, but Chopin preferred to compose and practiseon his own instrument. The composer took up lodgings in Dover Street, Mayfair,where he wrote: "I have three pianos. In addition to my Pleyel, I have a Broadwoodand an Erard, but I have so far only been able to play on my own." Chopin played thispiano during a recital at the home of the Count d'Orsay and the Countess ofBlessington at Kensington Gore. For his other recitals in England, including a concertat Stafford House attended by Queen Victoria, Chopin played a Broadwood, which isalso part of the Cobbe collection.

CHOPIN’S TRUE SOUND CAN BE HEARD ATLAST AFTER DISCOVERY OF HIS PIANOThe composer’s own Pleyel grand, which gives a distinctive texture to his music, hasbeen traced to a country house in SurreyBY BEN MACINTYREWITH PERMISSION FROM THE TIMES

18

Alfred Hipkins, an employee of Broadwood, described the composer on his Englishtour as being "of middle height, with a pleasant face, a mass of fair curly hair like anangel, and agreeable manners ... He was painstaking in the choice of the pianos he wasto play on anywhere, as he was in his dress, his gloves, his French." Chopin hadvisited England only once before, in 1837, and despite his ailing health he wasimpressed and flattered by his reception. He left a breathless description of theStafford House concert: "You should have seen the Queen standing on the stairs in themost dazzling light, covered with all her diamonds..."

But he came to harsher conclusions about English cultural attitudes: "Theyconsider everything in terms of money. They love art because it is a luxury."

At the end of the London season, Chopin performed two concerts in Scotland.He returned to London in November, and gave another performance at Guildhall at acharity recital in aid of Polish refugees. This was to be the last concert of his tour, andthe last of his life.

The London fogs worsened Chopin's health, and on November 23, he returned toParis, leaving behind his Pleyel piano but already making plans to obtain another inFrance. "On Thursday I shall be leaving this beastly London," he wrote to a friend,Wojciech Grzymala. "You might even tell Pleyel to send me any kind of piano onThursday evening." Chopin died in Paris the following October.

Before leaving London, Chopin sold his Pleyel piano, for pounds 80, to one LadyTrotter, whose daughter, Margaret, was his friend and probable pupil. For almost 160years, Chopin's "English" Pleyel vanished into obscurity, until Dr Eigeldinger,Emeritus Professor of Musicology at the University of Geneva, set about correlatingthe scattered Pleyel archives. By matching serial numbers in Pleyel's ledger, ProfessorEigeldinger was able to identify the piano owned by Mr Cobbe, no13819, as the oneChopin had brought to England in 1848. "I was absolutely astonished," Mr Cobbe says.

"Surviving Pleyels number in the hundreds, but I had absolutely no idea which wasChopin's own piano."

Cobbe believes that Margaret Trotter, who died unmarried, bequeathed theinstrument to her grand-niece, Margaret Lindsay, who married Sir Lewis Majendie,of Castle Hedingham, near Saffron Walden.

As the piano was passed on, the story of its provenance was forgotten. The HonTom Lindsay inherited Castle Hedingham in the 1970s and was told by a house-keeperthat a piano had just been sold from the property.

In 1988 Cobbe bought the Pleyel piano from a dealer in early pianos, who hadpurchased it at auction in Saffron Walden in the late 1970s. The collection is nowowned and cared for by a charity, The Cobbe Collection Trust, which aims to enablemusicians and audiences to hear music played as nearly as possible to the way thatcomposers would have heard it. The collection is the largest of its kind in the world,and includes instruments owned or played by Purcell, Bach, Mozart, Mahler and Elgar.Chopin believed that the Pleyel piano was the only one ideally suited to his music.

"When I feel in good form and strong enough to find my own individual sound, thenI need a Pleyel piano," he said.

December 2014 19

Cobbe says: "The pianos of today produce long, sustaining, liquid notes, whereaswith the Pleyel the notes die away much more quickly and this gives a completelydifferent texture to the music."

In a sense, Chopin's Pleyel was an extension of his own genius. Franz Liszt wrotethat Chopin "particularly cherished" Pleyel pianos "for their silvery and slightly veiledsonority and their lightness of touch". In the words of Professor Eigeldinger: "With itsdistinctive mechanical and timbral qualities, the Pleyel instrument seems to have beenthe medium par excellence for Chopin, pianist, teacher and composer, from his earliestdays in Paris until his death in 1849."

Chopin died long before his own performances could be recorded, but therediscovery of Chopin's piano means that music lovers can once again enter the sound-world of the great composer on his final tour.

© The Times 17 Mar 2007.

PIANO TECHNICIANS GUILDThe PTG of America invite Members of the PTA to the 2015 PTG Convention &Technical Institute which will be held at the Denver Marriot Tech Center Hotel,

Denver, Colorado from July 15 to 18 2015.For further details contact Sandy Roady: sandy@ptg.org

KAWAI TRAINING DAY

20

PTA/KAWAI TRAINING DAYMANABU ARIMORIREPORT BY BILL GRAY

Friday: Many Members travelled hundreds of miles andspent hundreds of pounds to join us in Stirling – and so didKawai. Arriving on Friday gave good time to set-up andhave a good night’s sleep before the Training Day.

Saturday: The Stirling Highland Hotel had once been a school and our classroomwas most suitable. Three new black Kawai uprights were set out in front, with theHybrid K200 ATX in the centre – the star of the show! Behind us there was acontinuous showing of “Kawai, The Future of the Piano”, on the TV screen, whichmeant that during our coffee/tea break we were still learning. Most of our class offourteen had been in the piano trade for many years, yet here we were, to keep up-to-date with the latest systems.

Andrew, our Treasurer, introduced Joe Carroll, Kawai Sales Manager, who, afterwords of welcome, introduced Manabu Arimori, Kawai’s top UK Technician.Excellent brochures were handed out and we were off!

This was not a lecture – it was a demonstration, with plenty of time for questionsand observations. We all like to watch other folk working and it quickly becameobvious that you’ve got to be fit to work with these hybrids, when we watchedManabu strip the piano and start his maintenance programme, which lasted six hours!

After a busy day with a Hybrid piano, it was relaxing to meet up again and a havea trip up to the observatory for some star gazing and then enjoy a lovely dinnertogether. Twenty-one of us were arranged in a square setting and between courses thechat was informal and entertaining. By 10pm the meal was over and it was time forbed/bar according to need!

Sunday: Breakfast, farewells and time to pay the bills.Our thanks go to Kawai, the PTA and the Stirling

Highland Hotel for a wonderful weekend.

IMAGES FROM PIANO HISTORY — NO 3REINHOLD FRIEDERICH GLANDTBY DR ALASTAIR LAURENCE, JOHN BROADWOOD & SONS.

21December 2014

Dates: born Kalisch, Poland 29th October 1840. TookBritish citizenship on March 1900, when he became adirector of Chappell’s. Died London, 10th July 1902.Family: wife Kathinka Gette (German). Three daughters:Elsa, Ida and Lilly.Occupations: grand action finisher; factory manager;piano designer. Background: he was living in Londonfrom 1873, but was also supposed to have spent timegaining experience in the Hamburg works of Steinway& Sons after 1885.London appointment: from around June 1893, he heldthe highly responsible position of manager at theChappell Piano Company’s large factory, Belmont Street,Chalk Farm, Camden Town, London.Greatest achievement:

the creation, from the drawing board, of a range of new Chappell grand pianos: theBijou, exactly five feet long (or 152cm); the Mignon, exactly six feet long (183cm);the Boudoir, exactly seven feet long (214cm).Where could Glandt’s concert grand be heard?Regularly on the main London concert halls, such as the Queen’s Hall and the RoyalAlbert Hall, and in the Usher Hall, Edinburgh.How good were they?The instruments he designed have astonishingly clear and powerful basses; only histop trebles are weak, when compared with equivalent Steinways; but the Chappell totrebles are no better or worse than the Bechsteins of Glandt’s day. (Like Bechstein,Chappell grands employed brass studs up to the extreme top treble – no ‘capo d’astro’bearing bar). On reflection, the Glandt-designed Chappells are probably the best-evergrand pianos manufactured in the UK.Period of use: The five foot and seven foot models were discontinued in the 1930s;the six foot Mignon was apparently available through to the 1960s; the concert modelwas still advertised in Chappell brochures of circa 1960, but almost certainly the lastconcert model appears to have been manufactured in the 1950s.

Recently seen on the Plist

An interesting take on historyfrom Steinberg! Does anyoneknow exactly when Londonwas Berlin?

22

PIANO PLATE BREAKAGE: A CASE STUDYBY STEVE BRADY, RPTJournal Editor

The story I relate here is about an event, or series of events, in the life ofMarnie Squire, an Associate member of the Cincinnati, OH, chapter of PTG. Shehas been kind enough to provide the documentation from her case for use in thisissue of the Journal. “If it can help save someone else from the kind of nightmareI went through,” she says, “I’m happy to share my story.”

At about 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 2, 1993, Marnie Squire arrived to tune asmall Fischer grand piano at a home in Middletown, OH. The piano, an Aeolianproduct, had not been tuned in 13 years. Squire played the piano briefly to evaluateits condition and found several keys not playing as well as some damper problems.The piano was 37 cents flat.

After bringing the piano back to a condition of rough playability, Squire beganthe process of raising pitch. Using a Sanderson Accu-Tuner™, she completed a

“normal” first pass and had nearly completed a second pass. Then, “I was about totune the second or third string from the bottom of the bass section. I played the keysand a huge ‘bang!’ happened. I had no idea what had happened and was veryshaken.” Looking over the piano she saw a crack in the second plate strut from thetop and another crack in the tuning pin area at the bass/ tenor break. Mortified, shecalled the owner of the piano, who was at work and explained what had happened.

The piano owner filed a lawsuit over the broken plate. The owner enlisted the aidof another piano technician in the area as an “expert” witness and this technician(whose name is omitted here) told the piano owner that Squire had brought the pitchup too fast, that she didn’t know what she was doing, and that she had actuallybroken the plate!

In September of 1993, Marnie Squire retained an attorney to defend herself inthe lawsuit and the long process of gathering evidence began. Several PTGmembers sprang to Squire’s aid by examining the piano and writing opinions, someeven performing sophisticated analyses based on the physical evidence. From overtwo dozen written opinions placed at my disposal by Marnie Squire, I haveexcerpted a number of relevant quotations.

Willard Sims, piano service manager at Baldwin from 1946 to 1984, wrote onSeptember 17, 1993:

“The tuning of a piano by an experienced technician will not cause the stringplate to fail.” In another letter dated April 10, 1994, Sims reiterated this stance:

“I repeat my statement that the tuning of a piano will not cause plate failure. If arebuilder refurbished and perhaps rescaled the piano, removing and resetting theplate, then that action may result in plate failure.”

Sandy West, a later piano service manager for Baldwin, elaborated:“It is my considered opinion that a broken plate cannot be blamed or attributed to

a typical tuning/service call. My experience is that strings will break before the platewill. A broken plate is usually the result of some major trauma, such as the piano

December 2014 23

being dropped or the result of a defect in the manufacture of the plate. In both suchinstances the actual crack or break may not show up for quite some time. It willdevelop over time as an eventual result of the continued pressure on the fault by allthe strings. Simply tuning the piano would not cause such damage.”

Dr. Albert Sanderson pointed out that Marnie Squire’s pitchraising method hadbeen entirely appropriate, then added:

“It has been my observation that plates that break under normal tuning stress havea flaw in the casting that can be seen when the break is examined. A flaw could be abubble in the casting or a crack that has been growing gradually over the years owingto metal fatigue.”

Noted piano rebuilder Tony Geers reiterated the now-familiar theme:“Based on the information we have at hand, most notably the fact that the piano

plate broke in both the tuning pin area and treble bar, it would be our conclusion thatfaulty installation of the plate during the manufacturing process is the most likelycause for the breakage. It is impossible for a tuner to break a plate by tuning alone.There must be other circumstances present, i.e., faulty manufacturing, flaw in the castiron, piano dropped, etc. Tuning works against the strength of the cast-iron plate.Over-tuning would cause string breakage long before any possible damage to the platecould occur.

“If the plate was improperly installed at the factory, plate breakage is a very realpossibility. Improper installation could be the bending of the plate over the pinblockor securing bolts or screws. When tension is added by tuning, extreme stress is focusedon the bent portion of the plate; such as in the area of the tuning pins and treble bars.”

A letter from prominent piano technician and educator Jim Geiger stated:“The conclusion is that a normal piano plate, designed to withstand 40 tons of

pressure would not be broken by the tension from the piano strings regardless of theapplied tension, how fast the tension is applied and at what point of the scale thetension is applied. In the piano factories the tension is applied as fast as the tuner canbring the strings up to pitch. Indeed, it should not be possible to break a normal pianoplate with string tension alone, because the strings would break first. There is just notenough margin between the actual string tension and the tension at which failure willoccur for the piano wire to be able to produce the force necessary to cause a goodpiano plate to fracture.”

University technician Rolf von Walthausen added some background on thematerial, then pointed out that some piano models frequently suffer cracked plates.In this particular case, it turned out that many Aeolian grands had suffered the samefate. von Walthausen wrote:

“Piano plates are made of cast iron, which is a material that is extremely hard, butalso brittle. Properly cast and installed, it is capable of withstanding tremendouspressure from the strings, which are fastened to and held in tension by the plate.Improperly cast or installed, a cast-iron plate could easily break or crack. Even if pianowire, which is a steel alloy with great tensile strength, is stretched quickly beyond acertain stiffness, the wire will break far, far before exerting a force on the piano platethat would cause breakage or any type of damage to the plate.

24

“Some brands of pianos have frequent occurrence of plate breakage or cracking. It israre to find an old Bechstein grand piano, for example, without a crack in the plate.Opinions from experts differ as to why this is so (poor casting, design or installation),but one thing is never disputed: tuning or pitch raising was never the cause.”

Nevin Essex, another highly regarded technician from the Cincinnati area, wrote:“I have been teaching piano tuning and technology through the Guild, at universities

and on my own since 1982. I have researched teaching methods and developed myown. Nowhere have I ever seen or heard any scientific evidence that suggests that apiano tuner can break a plate. My understanding is that plates are designed towithstand much more tension than exists in any piano. I have never heard any credibleaccount of a piano tuner breaking a plate. I was never taught nor do I teach anytechnique or method designed to prevent a plate from breaking while tuning. Tuningmethods that emphasize raising pitch evenly do so for the purpose of achieving a goodtuning, not for preventing the plate from breaking.

The author of The Piano Book, Larry Fine, weighed in with an opinion that evencontributed a touch of humor to the situation:

“There are only two ways I know of that a tuner can break a piano plate that is notdefective while servicing a piano in the home. One way is to excessively tighten thenose bolt that supports the plate in the center area of the piano. This is an adjustmentnot normally made outside of a piano rebuilding shop. The other way is to take asledge hammer to it. In other words, it is virtually impossible for a piano tuner to breaka plate during the normal tuning and pitchraising of a piano unless the plate is alreadydefective and ready to break, in which case any tuner, regardless of skill or method oftuning, will be the unwitting agent of such breakage by fate alone. Even in a worst-case scenario, in which a tuner sought to sabotage a piano by stretching all the stringsfar above standard pitch, chances are that the strings would break long before the platewould. Tuners are sometimes blamed for plate breakage by understandably distraughtpiano owners, but in every such case the blame is misguided and completelyunjustified.”

In expectation that the lawsuit would come to trial, Marnie Squire asked Jim Ellisto look at the piano and to render an opinion from his background as an engineer.After examining the piano, Ellis wrote a formal analysis (included in this issue of PTJ)proving that the plate was poorly designed. “What I couldn’t understand,” he said, “iswhy the plate hadn’t broken when the piano was first strung in the factory.”

Enter Paul Monachino, who had worked for the now-defunct Aeolian Corporationduring the years when the subject piano was manufactured. Delivering the death-blowto the plaintiff’s case, Monachino wrote:

“This problem is nothing new in this style piano. I have seen this particular platecracked in the same place many, many times. The fault lies in the construction of theplate and not in the tuning of the piano.” (Monachino’s emphases —SB)

The night before the case was scheduled for trial, the piano owner’s “expert”witness backed out, leaving the prosecution with no case at all. The shame of thewhole story is that Marnie Squire had been placed in such a position to begin with.Besides having to spend hundreds of dollars in attorney’s fees, she was “a nervous

December 2014 25

wreck” for the year that passed before resolution. The silver lining to this cloud is that,because of what she went through, and the unanimous opinions provided by the realexperts, this kind of nightmare — a lawsuit obviously without basis in fact — shouldnot have to be suffered by any piano technician again.

November 2000 / Piano Technicians Journal 27

© R G MORGAN

CODEWORDBY BOB MORGAN

FESTIVE FUN !PIANO PARTS AND MATERIALS

Each grid number represents a letter. Every letter of the alphabet is used.

26

PTA COUNCIL REPORTANNE BURTON

The meeting of the Executive Council was held on 29th November at RobertMorley & Co. Ltd., Lewisham.

Present were Brian Frost (President), Matthew Gough (Vice President), AndrewJamieson (Treasurer), Annette Summers (Secretary), Anne Burton, Lewis Flisher,John Lambert, Michelle Rudd, Tania Staite, Stephen Venn and Gary Whiteland.

Apologies were received from Andrew Giller.A copy of Les Sherlock’s History Book is in the library now. Erratum: Only one

copy of the PTG CD rom has been purchased for the library.The PTG of America has invited PTA Members to attend the PTG Convention in

Denver in July 2015.An extract of the Test Sub Committee’s changes to the entrance test will be printed

in the PTA News; Andrew Jamieson is still working on updating test papers.40 people attended a very successful Yamaha Training Day in Reigate. Neil Farrar

of Yamaha enjoyed taking the day.15 people attended the Kawai Training Day; two Associate applications received.

Joe Carroll of Kawai thanked the PTA for all their support.Details of the Training Day at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with

Malcolm McKeand on Sunday 15th March have now been finalised. Booking formswill be distributed with the next PTA News.

A Training Day is confirmed for Saturday 17th October 2015 with Mario Igrecin London.

The Treasurer’s report was circulated. Andrew gave a breakdown of expensesincurred in connection with the 2016 and 2017 Convention venues.

The PTA has received two new Student applications: Francis Elliot-Wright andDavid Henderson and two new Associate applications: Mr J McIntyre and Mr GBrown.

Tania Staite stepped down as advertising co-ordinator and Stephen Venn offered totake over. Council thanked Tania for all her hard work on obtaining and managing theadvertising over the past 12 years.

Gary Whiteland will contact John Lord to confirm a date for a visit to Newark ona Wednesday in February.

The new website is nearly ready. Council will need time to test the system. AnneBurton recommended purchasing a security certificate (https) and Council agreed asthe database is now accessed via the website. Michelle Rudd produced a documentabout pricing and other items which will be refined for inclusion on the new website.

Brian Frost attended the Europiano meeting in Le Mans; his report is in DecemberPTAN. Brian Frost discussed the Congress meeting in Moscow, September 2015.

The new official PTA Facebook page is set up:www.facebook.com/pianotunersassiciation and has already played a successful role inadvertising future events and promoting the PTA. Council thanked Andrew Day andMatthew Gough for their work on it.

December 2014 27

Sunday 15th March 2015 – Noon to 6.30pmPTA Training Day at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama

with PTA Honorary Member Malcolm McKeandBook by 31 January ’15; Form enclosed inside this issue of PTAN

Convention 2015, 13th to 16th MayThree Counties Hotel, Hereford. More details soon.

17th October 2015PTA Training Day in London with Mario Igrec. More details soon.

Convention 2016, 11 to 14 MayThe Barnstaple Hotel, Barnstaple, Devon

Convention 2017, 10 to 13 MayMercure Shrewsbury Albrighton Hotel & Spa, Shrewsbury

For enquiries, PTA goods,changes of address or contact details:Mrs Annette SummersPTA SecretaryPO Box 230HAILSHAMBN27 9EATel: 0845 602 8796Email: secretary@pianotuner.org.uk

DEADLINE FOR PTAN ARTICLES: FRIDAY 23rd January 2015Articles, letters and photos to: ptanews@pianotuner.org.uk or to address on page 3.PLEASE EMAIL PHOTOGRAPHS AND ARTICLES SEPARATELY .

PTA DIARY

Classes are all confirmed for the Hereford Convention from13th to 16th May, 2015.The booking form will go out in January. All convention venues from 2015 to 2017 areconfirmed. The dates will be printed in the PTA News.

The next meeting is scheduled for noon on Saturday 31st January at Robert Morley& Co. Ltd., Lewisham.

PTA COUNCIL REPORT CONTINUED

WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY NEW YEAR