lifetime job? <Pine.PMDF.3.91.970409133952.543868245D-100000@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu>

[Les Smith]

Kuang: Keep complaining. Loudly. It seems to me that if a pianist is
talented enough to play the Greig A minor concerto (with the killer
cadenza in the first movement) in public with an orchestra, the least
his school should be able to do is to provide him with a piano that is
properly tuned and serviced. The next time your to play in public, check
out the piano BEFOREHAND and if you discover any problems, immediately
bring it to the attention your teacher--maybe even have him play it--and
let him contact the tuner about what work--tuning or otherwise--it might
need. Obviously your current status  as a student doesn't carry much
weight with the technician. You also mention that you own a tuning ham-
mer. If all else fails, carry it with you when you perform, get there
early and touch up the instrument your self. Sooner, or later someone is
going to see you tuning  your own piano and ask the question, WHY?  Why,
indeed?! Good luck!

Les Smith
lessmith@buffnet.net

On Wed, 9 Apr 1997, KUANG wrote:

> Hi list,
> 	I currently go to a college where many students (that includes me)
> don't like the tuner of our school.  Last week I discussed with him about
> the Steinway D I was to perform on that night.  I pointed out some problem
> like rattling low D and its surrounding notes (maybe a crack in the bass
> bridge?  He claimed that _all_ of the base notes were supposed to do that.
> I was shocked...), some notes that really needed to be voiced (I
> specifically told him what notes they were!), and, needless to say, some
> tuning.  Just before the concert, I went to check to piano and nothing had
> corrected except notes were set to unison (however, stability was not that
> great).  When I played the highest E to the conductor, he instantly
> knew the note was flat! (actually two highest E's were flat and the unison
> didn't stay) E's were important because I was playing Grieg Concerto in A
> minor, and E is both in A minor tonic chord and its dominant chord, E
> major.  (this has nothing to do with well temperament, it was oringinally
> tuned (I don't know how long ago) in e. temperament.) I complained that to
> my piano teacher (he's the chairman of the piano department) the next day
> but he didn't say anything.
> 	What should I do about this?  Or there's nothing I can do about
> it because the tuner has a lifetime job?  By the way, he was nowhere to
> be found before and during the concert.  (I wish I had my hammer handy...)
>
> Kuang Wang
>