Many, many years ago, I was perhaps 9, I was amazed to find that our Saturday morning was disrupted by the arrival of a piano. I remember standing by the front door watching people carefully carry it into the house. I can’t remember who moved it or how, but there it was in our front room, where previously it had occupied my grandparent’s front room. It was magical, before we’d only been able to pick away when we visited my grandparents (and they were happy to put up with our efforts) now we could do it anytime we wanted.
It increased the rivalry with the neighbours too, their piano was also in the front room, against the common wall of our semi-detached house. Their older children could beat us hands down at proper playing but we could match the younger ones for volume!
That piano is still in my parent’s front room and it entranced the Brown-eyed Girl when we were there over the summer. With a bit of help she picked out ‘Doe a Deer’ and ‘Will you Wash my Father’s shirt’ and was even more delighted when there was a piano in the house in Kerry too. Little Boy Blue was a little more reserved in his interest.
So you can imagine the excitement on Christmas morning when a digital piano arrived…
But the truth is the kids were not nearly as excited as I was. For the last decade my piano-playing has been limited to the few minutes I could grab while on visits home. It was usually brief and depressing. But here’s my chance to practice, to get back into it again.
I’m falling into old habits though, too tied to the dots on the page and not experimenting enough. I got to Grade 4 in my piano exams and in the end could play nothing other then exam pieces.
Now’s my chance to right that, to learn and play for pure enjoyment.
Fur Elise and The Entertainer are once again battering the ears of those around me. Let’s see whether letting myself loose at the piano keyboard helps release my flow on the computer keyboard too.
Has creativity in one area ever led to increased productivity in other areas for you?
I remember seeing it for the first time and was green with envy as i always wanted a piano in Limewood!!!! For the journey home i think all i said to mam was why can’t we get a piano lucky we only lived a few minutes away from each other!!
Catherine, you’ll never believe it, but we got a digital piano this year for Christmas, too. And, um, I think I’m more excited than my kids are! We had a baby grand in my childhood home, and I’ll never forget the feel, the smell, the shape of that piano. The piano that my mother’s hands touched. Our keyboard is on the table where I write. Just knowing it is there makes me happy. (Attached photo of my sister-in-law playing with Topi on Christmas Day).
Stitching, cooking, now (finally!) piano playing again, my favorite “pastimes” are all connected to writing. I can vouch that it’ll boost all areas of your life.
Enjoy. And cheers for the new year!
That explains why most of our chats were in the front room so!
I remember your accordion though, I thought it was huge and complicated and at odds with the heavy metal posters on your bedroom walls!
That’s bizarre there must have been something in the air that we both had the same idea! The photo’s gorgeous, I can see Topi’s concentration!
I would love a baby grand, but the upright at home is special. The wood and the grain it has bring me straight back to childhood again.
Here’s to a creative new year for both of us, in all areas!