not too much badmouthing please

[David Ilvedson]

nice story...!!!

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Diane Hofstetter" <dianepianotuner at msn.com>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 4/25/2008 9:36:28 PM
Subject: not too much badmouthing please



>I had a similiar situation, in some ways this week.  The store told me to go out to 
>tune for a man.  When I called him to make the appointment, he told me that he has 
>a masters degree in piano performance and that it is a "wonderful upright piano",  
>probably 100 years old and probably hasn't been tuned in over 50 years.   It was 
>given to him by a former neighbor.  He wanted it brought up to pitch.

>I told the store manager, there's something wrong with this guy, a man with a 
>masters in piano performance who gushes about how wonderful an old Mignonette 
>upright is.   I wasn't sure I wanted to go out on that job.  

>I went to the address, a small apartment building in a not great, but not real bad, 
>part of the city.  Up a flight of narrow metal and cement steps.  Told the man I was 
>happy to be his piano tuner, not piano mover.

>His dog was all over me--fortunately I love dogs so that is always a joyous occassion 
>for me.  He said she was a therapy dog.    Little by little he told me his story.  He 
>almost died, several times.  He was in the hospital for two months, then a nursing 
>home for another two months, then an adult care home for four months.  Now he 
>has been in the apartment for two months, and got a dog, by prescription for 
>depression.

>I began to suspect what his illness was from things he said.  He told me he used to 
>run a piano school for "a piano store of sorts" in San Francisco.  I asked him if he 
>knew the Englander House in SF--affirmative.  The Englander House has frequent 
>piano concerts and is owned by a gay couple, one of whom is the main performer.

>Eventually he told me he almost died from HIV, which he has been struggling with for 
>twenty five years.  Then again, he said he almost committed suicide after he moved 
>into the apartment, and he played a piece for me that he had composed one night 
>on that desperately out of tune piano.  He said it saved his life.

>After I finished tuning, he went on to play the most wonderful music-Chopin, 
>Prokovief, Brahms,  He's REALLY GOOD!  Later that day he came into the store 
>when I was there and played for me on one of the Boesendorfers.  The store 
>owner, who is also a classically trained pianist, lets him use the Bosie selection room 
>whenever he wants.

>I was in quite a state most of that day.  Such exquisite talent, so wasted.  I am SO 
>fortunate to have been able to hear him play.  Thank God I tuned that old upright 
>and brought it up over 100 cents!
>Diane





>Leslie Bartlett l-bartlett at sbcglobal.net
>I got an email from some girl who actually as paid money for an upright
>piano she says is about 125 years old..........   I don't know WHY she did
>this, but I somehow expect that "it looked so quaint and like an antique".
>She wishes me to actually attempt to tune the
>thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  What have I done to deserve
>this?   Anyhow, assuming (and I can't even find a comment for that) it is
>tuneable, can it be brought up to 440, or would one at all costs keep the
>pitch significantly lower.   I'm praying it will fall off a truck in the
>move, but fear I might have to face it.  So, without making me pay too much
>for this obvious reward of past sins, a bit of help, please?  I'm scared
>already, and have been blessed not to see it to date...
>les bartlett
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>Diane Hofstetter