On Tue, 29 Oct 1996, Joel Rappaport wrote: >William Maxim asks: >> >>Is it true that to receive the designation 'Klavierbauer,' one must >design and build a piano from scratch - scale, plate, cabinet, etc.? >> >and >> No need to question which examination was the most exacting >> overall, but does the RPT exam come close! > >To Bill and anyone else interested, the German Trade System consists of >what we would call apprentice, journeyman and master. I believe they >have this type of structure in the plumbing and electrical trades, among >others, here in the USA. For Pianomakers in Germany, the apprenticeship >is 3-1/2 years under the watchful eye of a master. At the end of the >learning time, you must pass an exam to complete the apprenticeship. >The German worker then can call him- or herself a Piano Maker or >Klavierbauer. This most closely matches the PTG exams, but there is >much more emphasis on piano building (using raw materials and the >understanding of wood, felt, leather, glues, finishes, etc.) rather than >the repair aspects of our PTG training. I must say, however, PTG >training has progressed leaps and bounds through the PACE program and >the exchange of ideas in forums such as this PianoTech Newsgroup. > >After at least five years as a Klavierbauer, you may either pursue >independent study or attend a year at the School For Master Piano >Builders in Ludwigsburg, Germany (just north of Stuttgart) to learn >mostly bookkeeping, law, money exchange, psychology of teaching >apprentices, music and architectural history and some practical piano >building subjects such as scale design and mechanical drawing. The >tests to become a Master Piano Builder or Klavierbaumeister are the ones >to which Bill refers. I can tell you the situation when I took my exams >in the mid-1970's. You may come up with an original design if you wish, >but the cost of producing a new cast iron plate alone usually >discourages this. However, we were allowed to go into a production >factory (I did my piano - a Bechstein Model B grand - at the factory in >Berlin). Yes, we were expected to do virtually everything from grinding >and drilling the raw cast iron of a new plate on. Of course, we did not >produce our own rim, but did choose and fit the keybed, installed the >soundboard and so forth. It is a little different now for some very >interesting reasons. But that is too long a story to get into. > >The tests for the Master's Diploma consist of three major areas: >1) Written test on business practices, law and money handling >2) Written and practical test on teaching of apprentices >3) Practical test and extensive exam by committee of making a piano >pretty much by yourself. > >It is necessary, in Germany, to have the Master's Diploma in order to >open up your own piano building or repair business and/or teach >apprentices. Without the diploma, you must work for someone else (who >is a Master) and you are not allowed to teach apprentices. This is the >way it was when I studied over there. The situation is changing a lot >with the unification of Germany and the European Union opening up >opportunities for all European citizens to work in any of the other >countries. > >Hope you enjoyed this short synopsis and it answered your questions. > >Best regards----Joel > Joel, What, exactly, is the German Trade System? Is it a government authority? Is it "exclusive", in other words, you cannot, by law, operate a piano rebuilding shop without government permission? What about repair, or just tuning? And if regulated by law, what measures are taken to enforce the law? Who grants the Diploma, and under what authority? Since here in the states, there is absolutely no government regulation (except for taxation), I and probably others are still a bit confused by your otherwise careful posting. Still Curious! Bill Bailer \\\ William Bailer wbailer@cris.com \\\ Rochester, NY, USA phone: 716-473-9556 \\\ Interests: acoustics, JSBach, anthropology, piano technology
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