Special thanks go to

• The Austrian Science Fund (FWF) for supporting both PAPA (Lise-Meitner M1653-N30) and FPM2 (Stand-alone P29386-N30) projects.

• All colleagues from the Institute of Music Acoustics of the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (MDW) for their help and warm welcome.

• Gert Hecher (Das Klavier-Atelier), who allowed me to make measurements on several of his pianofortes.

• The Technical Museum of Vienna and Caroline Haas for their help and support in the measurements of three pianos.

• Birgit Streicher, who led me hear the exquisite beauty of Nanette Streicher's pianos.

• Uta Goebl-Streicher, who kindly shared with me her knowledge and enthusiasm on Nanette Streicher.

• Paul McNulty and Viviana Sofronitsky for rewarding interactions on pianoforte making, and for their participation to the Piano Day 2016 in Vienna.

• Juliette Chabassier and Marc Duruflé from INRIA Bordeaux, for continuous support and assistance in the simulations of the pianos.

• Jin Jack Tan, Cyril Touzé, Patrick Joly and Benjamin Cotté from IMSIA-ENSTA ParisTech, for all rewarding interactions on the physics and numerical modeling of the piano.