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And the piano is silent
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The man who added symphonic notes to the city pianos is no more
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Photo: P. V. Sivakumar
Tune time Thomas Mathew tuning a piano
An anonymous Mexican proverb says: “Everyone is eager to play the piano, but few are willing to carry it on.” Interpreted in whichever manner, this proverb is perhaps meant for none other than the late Thomas Mathews, who for the larger part of his life, made sure that pianos in the twin cities didn’t remain mere pieces of decorative furniture in living spaces. When he was 25, Thomas Mathews was confronted with a choice of whether to take up the family business of selling and repairing pianos or continue as a ground mechanic who maintained Air Force planes. The choice he made was purely out of love for an instrument that he knew needed a doctor to stay alive amidst rising competition from its electronic counterparts. In 1902, it was his grandfather who came from Kerala to Hyderabad and set up a shop that both sold and repaired pianos. Because his father passed away when Thomas was still young, he was brought up by his grandparents. He learned the art of repairing and tuning the pianoforte from his grandfather, better known as ‘Piano’ Mathews. Eventually, that title was passed on to him. “It took me about one year to get my ear accustomed to the correct pitches of all 88 keys. From then on, I have been repairing, restoring and tuning pianos in Hyderabad and sometimes, in other states as well,” narrated the kind old man in an interview with this writer three days before he passed away.
“When one talks of music, it is always the performer who is praised. People like ‘Piano’ Mathews however, hardly get the appreciation they deserve. For years he was a sort of unsung performer, keeping the many pianos of our city in playing condition,” says Dr. Naveen Elias, who himself is a renowned pianist in the twin cities. Of course, aged 86 he did not take to such heavy work as restoring antique pianos like he did when he was younger. But even at that age, he still did tune pianos. How did he tune a piano? Not as you’d expect with an electronic frequency meter. It was only his faculty of hearing that he employed. At the most, he may have used a tuning fork to find the foundation frequency of middle C. And though his hearing may not have been as good as it was when he was younger, he still made a dissonant set of ebony and ivory keys sound harmonious after he was done with them.
Many of his loyal customers and friends unanimously recollect: “The sight of a light blue, German DKW car driving up to a house, usually meant that a piano was about to be touched by the magic hands of Thomas Mathews. In the 60s and 70s, he took just Rs. 15 to tune or even rent out a piano. When asked if there was an apprentice in the family who would carry forward what his grandfather started, he sighed and said: “Oh... no, but there are other people now who have taken to piano tuning and restoration.”
When asked whether his son would be the third to bear the title of Piano Mathews, he lit up with laughter and explained how his son would learn the trade after retirement. “With western classical music and piano playing in particular seeing a revival, I think the piano will live on - for its tonal and acoustic brilliance can never be replaced,” he said in conclusion, as a hint of passion coloured his otherwise serene countenance.
This is one man who will be greatly missed by everyone in the music fraternity of the twin cities. On behalf of all those whose pianos he tuned or restored, a sincere note of gratitude and appreciation to him and his family for all the work rendered over the years in keeping the sound of the piano alive in Hyderabad.
KENNETH DAMARA
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