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Jules van Iperen

Interview

Craftsmanship behind the scenes

In 1988, Edward Meijer (63) took over the company J.H. Meijer & Zn. BV Pianovakhandel from his father, Joop Meijer. Since then, he has been tuning the grand pianos of Schouwburg & Concertzaal Tilburg. He’s not employed by the theatre, but by now he’s very much part of the family. “Tuning for a theatre demands a great deal of dedication. You live in step with the theatre. You’re always keeping an eye on the schedule, because whenever the piano is needed, it has to be in perfect condition.” Over the past year, during the renovation of the Concert Hall, Edward has given the Concert Hall’s grand piano a new lease of life.

Jostijn Ligtvoet Jostijn Ligtvoet

Old & familiar

The Steinway grand piano has been played weekly for 30 years. This year, it was time for a full restoration. Every artist has their own distinctive taste, and the instrument needs to be adjusted accordingly. Edward can make the piano sound soft and fresh for a romantic concert, but it can just as well be voiced to sound powerful and loud for a more intense performance.

Edward continues: “The instrument is my responsibility. Piano tuning is my TRADE, in capital letters. I make sure the piano is perfectly adjusted so the pianist can sit down and start playing straight away. A violinist brings their own trusted instrument with them. A pianist doesn’t. It’s my role to make them feel at home on this instrument.”

“I find it important that the artist can sit down and think: ‘This feels right. Now I can give a truly beautiful performance.’”

The restoration

Over the past six months, during the renovation of the Concert Hall, it was the perfect moment to fully restore the grand piano as well. From the strings to the hammer heads, everything was taken apart, renewed, and put back together again.

“It was quite nerve‑racking,” Edward says. “The Steinway is a truly beautiful instrument. Restoring it means dismantling every single component and reassembling it in exactly the right way. You do that using original Steinway parts, along with the knowledge you share with fellow technicians.”

Edward is an experienced piano tuner. He has been practising the craft for 46 years, 37 of which with Schouwburg & Concertzaal Tilburg. To keep his knowledge up to date, he follows various masterclasses both at home and abroad. The restoration is now complete, the piano returned to the Concert Hall at the beginning of November.

Before he begins tuning, Edward takes time to familiarise himself with the artist. ‘How does this person play? And what do their most recent recordings sound like?’

Maatwerk ten top

Before he begins tuning, Edward first immerses himself in the artist. “How does someone play? And what do their latest recordings sound like?” he wonders. By now, he’s familiar with the personal preferences of various performers. “At a certain point you just know: if Cor Bakker is coming, the piano needs to be tuned beautifully and openly. And Reinbert de Leeuw prefers the instrument to sound as soft as possible. That requires different adjustments to the piano’s mechanism.”

First concert after the restoration

On 11 November, the grand piano returned to the Concert Hall, and on 12 November it immediately shone in the concert by piano duo Ludmila Berlinskaya & Arthur Ancelle, which was also broadcast live on the radio.

“The piano has to hold its tuning, and that’s always a bit nerve‑racking. Luckily, the instrument now sounds much fresher and has a powerful tone. The strings can continue to stretch slightly, which may cause subtle changes in the sound. Unfortunately, that’s a process you simply can’t speed up.”

The Steinway in action