Examination of the historical and institutional issues of piano restoration: the case of Türkiye

Abstract

In Türkiye, the piano is the most fundamental instrument of polyphonic music due to its structure. It has advantages in terms of maintenance, repair, and long-term use. This research aims to present the work, institutions, and developments in piano restoration, maintenance, and repair from the early years of the Republic to the present. It highlights a significant gap in piano restoration and emphasizes the importance of tuning in this research. The study investigates prominent piano tuners throughout history and examines the opinions of experts regarding institutional issues in piano restoration. This research is appropriate for a case study method to describe the current situation. In examining the literature on piano restoration, document analysis was employed. The views of three experts working in this field were collected using a semi-structured interview form consisting of six questions to gather data on institutional issues related to piano restoration. The research concluded that the studies in the first half of the 21st century were insufficient and that there were no adequate and systematic piano restoration efforts. However, it was found that after 1970, services in piano making, maintenance, and repair were provided within an institutional, continuous, and systematic structure. It was noted that centers for the construction and design of various instruments have started to open rapidly in universities in Türkiye. Findings from expert opinions indicated a lack of technological equipment in piano restoration materials, insufficient institutional structures in this area, a shortage of labor in piano restoration, and the need to increase university-level studies.

Keywords

• Music research
• Piano restoration
• Instrument making and design

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