When will it end?

[Piano Services Tech Dept]

Phil,

I tuned for them a few days after they visited you. Your right about the
good music. As for the A444, it causes more stress for the tuner than the
piano. However, it is not as much stress as when they want you to retune the
piano shortly before the concert or the letter the Hall receives later
complaining about the incompetence of the Tech.
Take my advice, resign yourself to the fact that most European orchestras
require A442 or higher and simply charge them for the standby. It's the
nature of concert work to stand around alot waiting for sound checks to end
and to tune in unconventional ways. Ninety percent of the artist are pretty
good people and the other ten percent either have their own tuners or aren't
around very long because the Halls don't want to book them unless they're
worth the extra effort. Oh yes, it never ends! The key (no pun intended) is
to bend but not break.

Ed Mashburn,RPT

----- Original Message -----
From: Phil Bondi <tito@PhilBondi.com>
To: Pianotech List <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2000 11:12 PM
Subject: When will it end?


> Today - tonight, I prepared the Steinway for the Vienna Radio Symphony -
If they
> pass through your town, do yourself a favor and go see them - good, young
> players - the conductor does a great job..
>
> anyway, I prepared the Steinway at A=442, as required in their rider, and
I was
> also instructed to be on stand-by for the performance - lucky me - I got
to hear
> a good symphony orchestra..
>
> But - as the piano player told me - the orchestra is 'compromising' also -
they
> normally tune to A=444.
>
> If there is anyone out there who can tell me they hear a difference
between an
> orchestra at 440 or 444, please tell me what you are hearing - I can buy
into
> that String players tend to play sharper in the upper registers - that I
will
> buy - but to hear a real difference in tonality, or emotion? - I don't get
it or
> hear it.
>
> When will it end?
>
> Rook
>
>
>