Changing Humidity & Concert Tuning, was: FT.com article

[Farrell]

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Next Friday I will be tuning a 7-foot Yamaha grand piano for a 5-piece =
jazz performance. The stage will be outside under a tent roof. The piano =
will be delivered and set up on the stage on Wednesday. So, whatever the =
weather is doing at that time it will have a couple days to trash the =
piano one way or another, no doubt.

I feel comfortable going into this situation, but I must admit, I =
haven't a clue as to what to expect. Winter day time is usually pretty =
dry down here in central Florida, yet most nights humidity goes right up =
to 100%.

Anyone with any constructive thoughts on this one? What to prepare for, =
etc., etc.? Any horror stories about similar situations?

I was thinking that what the dude really needs to do is install a =
high-power DC dehumidification system under the piano with a good bottom =
cover and then put one of those quilted covers over the entire piano. =
Can't imagine they'll do it, but seems to me anything less is courting =
disaster - unstable tuning, sluggish action, etc., etc.

Terry Farrell

  ----- Original Message -----=20

  A lovely article from today's Financial Times of London (ft.com)
  http://news.ft.com/cms/s/1b588c30-6859-11da-bfce-0000779e2340.html
  Peruvian piano tuner's alternative medicine for a Steinway grand
  By Marguerite Wolff=20
  Published: December 9 2005 02:00 | Last updated: December 9 2005 02:00

  From Ms Marguerite Wolff.

      =20
  Sir, One of the dreads of a concert pianist is to face playing on a =
piano affected by humidity. The piano can be good, bad or indifferent, =
small or large, the effect is the same; sluggish sound and enormous =
difficulty in playing rapid and filigree finger work.

  I have just returned from Peru giving concerts and was going to give a =
concert at the residence of the British ambassador, playing an exacting =
programme of Chopin-Liszt.

  It was a beautiful sunny day. Everything seemed perfect - a =
delightful, co-operative ambassador, beautiful music room, above all a =
Steinway grand that had been tuned and a humidifier used in the room. =
But alas, there was tremendous humidity. I was in despair. The tuner =
returned and I begged him to use all his skills and time.

  He then took the entire action out of the piano and put it on a stone =
step on the terrace in the sunshine for a few few hours, and said: "That =
will do more than anything I can do."

  That night at the concert the piano played like a dream.

  Marguerite Wolff,

  London W1B 1NS



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