I have visited the Keyboard collection in the Kunsthistorishes Museum in Vienna several times as a tourist, this time, thanks to the Churchill fellowship I received a personal private tour by one the worlds most respected technicians and curators Dr Alfons Huber.
Dr Huber is regarded as one of the worlds finest restoration experts in historically correct repair and conservation practices, including a PhD on environmental methods to preserve these priceless instruments
By using the vents from the cellar Dr Huber has demonstrated that more environmentally efficient maethods can be used to preserve instruments and keep the temperature/humidity stable without artificial expensive machines and conditioning.
This instrument has intrigued me for years, this time I get a personal instruction of it’s purpose and history.
The harmony piano offers a meantone tuning system the allows all major and minor 3rds to be in tune.
To preserve original information rather than rebuild or repair a copy can be made such as here
This instrument has a secret history,
Damaged wrest plank on this Erard once owned by Liszt, careful consideration will be applied before any work if any will be done.
