[pianotech] Restoring Museum Pianos

[Ursula Hammerling]

 Sorry for the mix up, Anne, the http-link is very helpful and so are your insights into this matter. Thank you.
Ursula

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--- On Tue, 1/4/11, Anne Acker <a.acker at comcast.net> wrote:

From: Anne Acker <a.acker at comcast.net>
Subject: [pianotech] Restoring Museum Pianos
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Date: Tuesday, January 4, 2011, 2:19 PM


First off, I agree with Chuck about giving them some ideas for fundraising.  Another technician and I in Miami worked with Temple Israel, giving them a quote to rebuild their Steinway, as well as ideas on fundraising.  They "sold" keys and put names on a paper keyboard in the lobby, as they "rebuilt" their piano.  When you split the sum up 88 (or in this case, more likely 85) ways, it becomes much less daunting.  When the names go up in a public place, it becomes competitive as well.  They managed to raise the funds in a
 month.

Secondly, museums generally have a mandate to preserve and conserve, so any restoration must keep this in mind.  They need education and advice to help them decide what the options and what should be done.  This is probably not a job for the standard rebuild shop. 

Remember that the goal should probably not be to turn it into something like sounds and plays like a 20th - 21st century piano. Museum instruments are not the place for replacing authentic actions and the like.  

You can read Barclay's publication online now, giving guidelines for the Care of Musical Instruments in Museums:

http://www.music.ed.ac.uk/euchmi/cimcim/iht/index.html 

Best,  Anne





      
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