February 2016 The Piano department at Forsyths, 129 Deansgate, Manchester Piano Technicians at work in the workshop of Matsuo Instruments, Japan 2 CONTENTS Editorial — 4 President Writes — 5 Membership News — 6 PTA Training Day Information — 7 H Matsuo Musical Instruments — 8 Piano of the Month — 11 Piano Technology School — 13 Images from Piano History — No 9 — 16 Return of the PTA Factory Visit — 17 Piano Picture Quiz — 18 PTA Piano Sales Encouragement Scheme — 19 Annual Convention and AGM — 20 Letters to the Editor — 21 Codeword Solution — 21 Council Report — 22 PTA Diary — 23 To advertise in PTA News, at very reasonable rates, please contact: Mr Stephen Venn, 96 Anmore Road, Denmead, WATERLOOVILLE PO7 6NT. Email: [email protected] The next deadline for PTA News is: Friday 18th March 2016. PTA News is the Newsletter of the Pianoforte Tuners’ Association. All views expressed are those of the contributors, not necessarily reflecting those of the PTA or the editorial team. Please send items for publication to ‘The Editor’, preferably via email with photographs sent separately from the text. Posted items can only be returned if accompanied by an SAE. Please obtain the necessary permission before submitting copyright items. PTA News, 49 South Hamilton Street, KILMARNOCK, KA1 2DT Email: [email protected] 3 EDITORIAL ANNE BURTON When Yumi Shigeno was in Japan recently she visited the piano shop, H. Matsuo Musical Instruments, and has written an interesting article about her visit to this unique establishment on page 8. Following on from his article ‘Terry Pamplin Revisited’ in the October 2015 PTAN, Peter Crunden has sent in ‘Piano of the Month’, (page 11), an article by J W T Roope, which was first published in “The Pianomaker, Music and Radio Retailer” in February 1967. We thank the IMIT for generously allowing it to be reprinted again here. I hope that you will find the information about the new course which Steven Droy has started in Northampton to be of great interest (page 13). After a visit which is planned to the Piano Technology School, a follow up article should appear in the next issue along with some photographs. The next fascinating instalment of ‘Images from Piano History from Dr A Laurence is all about Frank Squire, page 16. Do you fancy a visit to a tuning fork factory? See page 17 for details about a visit to Granton Ragg in Sheffield, organised by Paul Fox. You’ll find the answers to the Codeword (page 21) and the Picture Quiz (page 18) from last December. However, the next picture quiz a bit trickier than the first; do send your efforts to Nigel Donovan who will let you know how you fared. The Convention is not so many months away now; the programme of classes is published on page 20. I would be grateful of anyone who attended the PTDAE and/or the Wessell, Nickel and Gross courses would write an account of these and send it to me for inclusion in the next issue of the Newsletter as this would be of interest to our readers. You may (but hopefully not) have noticed that we have been having some difficulties with getting the last two newsletter issues to the proof reader but fortunately these seem to have been resolved now. Typically with one problem resolved, I’m now experiencing difficulties with the software not allowing images to load properly and consequently it is taking much longer to produce the newsletter. DEADLINE FOR PTAN ARTICLES: FRIDAY 18th March 2016 Articles, letters and photos to: [email protected] or to address on page 3. Please email photographs and text separately. 4 THE PRESIDENT WRITES ANNE BURTON The deadline for Convention paperwork will be strictly adhered to this year. Please make your choice from the wonderful classes on offer and send Andrew Jamieson your booking form before 1st March; note that double Convention fees are applicable after this date, see page 20 for the Technical Classes. Rick Ohlendorf, PTA Examiner, very ably assisted by Kevin Brice, is giving the Friday afternoon class ‘How to Pass the PTA Test’ which is free of charge to any Associate or PTA Student. It’s a great opportunity for anyone considering becoming a Member to hear and see precisely what is involved. I remember attending some years ago now and repeatedly thinking “I can do that”; this had the effect of reducing my thoughts of the Test as ‘a really big thing’ to something quite manageable. With expert guidance and tuition — thank you to my mentors — (and some practice on my part) I passed! The benefits of Membership are wholly worthwhile and it is a good thing to have something to aim for and a standard to achieve. Steve Droy’s information about his course is on page 13. The PTA plans to visit the course to see staff and students and a report will appear in the next issue of the PTANews. In the Council report you will read that Yumi Shigeno has been looking through the PTA Rules and has raised some points which will be put to the Membership for voting at the AGM on Saturday 14th May at 11.30am; I hope that you will come to Barnstaple and attend the main event of the PTA year. I am looking forward to meeting those who will be brushing up their grand damper skills at Forsyths in Manchester who are kindly hosting our next Training Day and sponsoring it with Schimmel. Paul Fox has kindly organised the Factory visit to see how tuning forks are made; full details on page 17. I hope that Members will be interested and able to attend as there are so few opportunities now for visits to anything piano- related in the UK. Many thanks indeed to all those who replied to our advert and kindly offered to house the PTA Library. Council has now accepted the offer from Martin Backhouse and I’ll let you know when the library is set up in its new home. An enormous thank you to Reg Montague for having been PTA Librarian. Thank you to Tania Staite who has taken over recording PTAN to disc. Anne Burton PTA President 5 MEMBERSHIP NEWS ANNETTE SUMMERS Please note these changes to the 2015/2016 Yearbook: 1002 Mr I M Lubert 37 Hill Rise LONDON NW11 6LY Tel: 020 8123 6553 Email: [email protected] 1228 Mr P Symes (telephone and email remain the same) 75 Wallwood Road Leytonstone LONDON E11 1AY 1046 Mr R T Ponton (new mobile and email) Mob: 07907 658389 Email: [email protected] 1101 Mr H Burgess (new mobile telephone number) Mob: 07517 871779 A340 Ms Rie Michishita 16 Kingsfield Road HARROW Middlesex HA1 3DD Tel: 07804 270555 Email: [email protected] We welcome back PTA Patron: P1319 Mr R Dain Hurstwood Farm Piano Studios The Hurst Crouch Borough Green SEVENOAKS Kent TN15 8TA Please send all changes of address, telephone and email to The Secretary using the contact details on Page 23. 6 PTA TRAINING DAY INFORMATION Sunday 6th March, 2016 Grand Damper Regulation With Christian Fromm, Klavierbauer at Wilhelm Schimmel Pianofortefabrik, Braunschweig, Germany at Forsyth Brothers Ltd., 126 Deansgate Manchester M3 2GR 10.30 am for 11am – 5pm Please arrive at 10.30am for registration and coffee. The class will start at 11.00am and there will be a break for lunch, with the class finishing at 5.00pm. Please bring a packed lunch; tea and coffee will be provided. The day will be a practical hands-on class covering regulation of grand dampers, so please bring your regulation tools. Forsyths is located in central Manchester on the block next to the House of Fraser store, Kendals. There are many car parks close by and the FREE No 1 City Centre Bus stops at Forsyths. The following is a link to The Manchester Metro Shuttle Guide. Bus number 1 will take you from Manchester Piccadilly to Forsyths: http://www.tfgm.com/buses/Documents/Metroshuttle-Infosheet.pdf If you need any further information please contact Gary Whiteland on 07910 975 925 or [email protected] The PTA is very grateful to Schimmel Pianos for sponsoring this event and also to Forsyth Brothers Ltd for sponsoring and hosting the event. 7 MUSIC AT ITS HEART H. MATSUO MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS (MATSUO GAKKI SHOKAI), TOKYO BY YUMI SHIGENO It was two winters ago that I was introduced to this remarkable music establishment by Mr Kitamura (of Hibiki Tools). I was so impressed by their exceptional standards that I requested a re-visit to their workshop during my short stay in Tokyo last month with the intent of writing a report here. Upon my arrival, I was greeted by Mr Kurata, the Deputy Director of Technical Services flanked by three other technicians. This is the technical branch of Matsuo Gakki located near the centre of Tokyo, a couple of subway stops away from their main office and showroom. The space is semi- industrial, without a lot of decorations or formality. We sat around a table in the middle of the workshop and started talking. The company was founded in 1953 by Hiroshi Matsuo, then the Concert Manager of the NHK Symphony Orchestra, who was also involved in the planning of the NHK Broadcasting Centre. He was reported to have been to the UK to visit the recording studios of BBC Mr Kurata, Yumi Shigeno and two technicians during the Centre’s preparation, and seen a lot of pianos (particularly of Steinway) there. He went on to become the major importer of Steinway and Bösendorfer pianos, and the firm remained Steinway’s sole agent in Japan until 18 years ago.