Notes From Pianology

In 1709, when the first ever piano stood finished in his workshop, Chrisofori could not have known the impact his invention was to make on the future of music-making. Nor could he have foreseen what was to become of his invention 300 years on.

Could he have imagined the sheer power of the modern instrument? The stability of tune or the rugged reliability of the action? Could he have numbered the workers who, through the centuries, would make their living from the piano? How much we owe to this remarkable man!

For many, the image brought to mind by the words 'piano tuner' is that of an old relic of bygone days. But this is not a fair picture today. The dedicated tuner, armed with a deep sense of job-satisfaction, works hard to improve his or her skills and professionalism.

The strange sounds given out by 'tuning in progress' is odd music indeed. This is not the stuff of Radio One or even Classic FM!

Beneath the constant repetition of notes and comparing of intervals lies hidden, a rich world of mathematical beauty and scientific wonder. Appreciating these basics of the piano produces an ever-growing passion for this most ingenious of inventions, this King of Instruments, the Piano!