A busy morning so far!
Don has been gently pushing me to get the piano tuned and to have whatever needs to be repaired attended to. I’ve known since the last time it was tuned that some repair was needed and it was just not a top priority. He took over and called a local guy who tunes and repairs pianos for a lot of professional pianists and this morning, he came to check it out.
All of what you see here has been removed and taken back to his shop. He found the same things in need of repair, as the previous tuner. The hammers need filing, the dampers need adjusting, screws need tightening – the keys had what was called a ‘shallow key dip’ because of that and the action will be much better when all is repaired. He’ll bring it back in about a week and put it all back together. Then he’ll tune it.
That serial number tells me that it was made by Chickering (an American company based in Boston) somewhere between 1940 – 1943. Chickering was one of the finest piano makers in the country for decades and the pianos were incredibly well made. Abraham Lincoln had a Chickering. Adam (the piano tuner) told us that pianos of that era were so much better than any of the Asian import pianos made nowadays. The import pianos are cheaper, but the quality is lacking. I remember that the man who tuned our piano when I was young made an offer to buy the piano every time he tuned it.
So. I’m lucky. My grandmother bought this piano. Both she and my mother played it. Every time I went to my grandparents’ house, I played it (banged on it when I as little). Eventually, my grandmother had it moved to my parents’ house so I could take lessons. My brother and sisters played it. My uncle and aunt – who played beautifully, by ear – played it during family Christmas Eve celebrations. It’s priceless. So, even though it’s somewhat costly, it’s worth it. It needs some love. And I need to play it more. I’ve sat down to play once or twice lately but it was so badly out of tune that I couldn’t handle it.
Thanks for prodding me, Don.
Also this morning, some house moving:
I moved Don’s Studio (with his permission) out to the upstairs hallway where it sits on top of the linen cabinet. This real estate was previously occupied by the modern dollhouse, which has been moved to the bedroom.
Now I can actually see it and work on it!
I’m going to start sorting through things in the office today, a bit at a time. I have 4 big Trader Joe’s bags full of books that will be donated to the library. Right now, they’re in the car and they’ll stay there until we have a non-rainy day. Right now, it’s pouring out there and I don’t want them to get wet.
I’ve started the Louise Penny. I’m about 80 pages in. I’m going slowly so I can savor every word.
Happy Friday.
