the old cockneys used to write songs about the difficulty of moving pianos. until electric was standardised across London (as late as the 1960s), supplies were primarily for the underground andlighting thestreets, to so the power mains was of varying voltage, frequency and reliability. Also music enthusiasts weren’t as aware of the importance of mains protective earth as today, other nasties were put into circuits to make a radio or other kit what workd on both DC and AC mains cheap, so many people were electrocuted by the “new fangled wireless and electric gramophone”.
The pianoforte is usually safe, unless the player is unfortunate to have the lid slam down on their fingers, or worse is brained by one being carelessly hoisted aloft by stevedores which comes adrift from its ropes.
