limbs and ideas into my brain. Life seems to go on without effort, when I am filled with music.
George Eliot
Last week we bought a piano. It is new, cost a pretty penny and demands a room of its own but I'm already convinced that it will be one of the best investments we'll ever make.
For the past couple of years the kids have been learning piano on a digital keyboard with weighted keys and although the grand piano samples on it were very good (and the kids loved all the effects and pre-recorded songs) I've been yearning for something a little more solid. I did consider upgrading to a digital piano, after all, they are cheaper and more compact with the added bonus that they never need tuning but the romantic in me just couldn't wrap her head around the fact that 'there's nothing inside'. I mean, really. Just take a look at the inside of a piano...
Extraordinary, yes?
To have music in your life is such a gift. Between the four of us we play a very eclectic repertoire, everything from 'London Bridge Is Falling Down' to Chopin's 'Nocturne in E flat' by way of Disney's 'A Whole New World' and the odd Tom Lehrer tune. It's been so long since I've learnt anything new so it was reassuring to know that my fingers still knew their way to Middle C and my brain still knew how to sight-read music so I've downloaded the sheet-music for The Violet Hours by The Civil Wars. Who knows I might even be able to casually sit down and play it here in January.
Beautiful! Mine is also a Yamaha, jinx! :-)
ReplyDeleteMine was bought for me years ago, and it's travelled from student accommodation to rental to rental to finally resting in our own house years later (yes, it desperately needed a tuning by then!)
I keep meaning to get back to playing, but then don't...now that the baby is showing more interest in her movements and in sounds around her, I think it's a good incentive for me to sit her in the highchair and have her watch me practicing again. Maybe we can play beautiful duets together, if she sits on my lap. ;-)
Glad to hear you have had good luck with a Yamaha. Our piano teacher found this one on special so we were very lucky. I think it would be lovely to play to D and lovely for mmyou too. Henry absolutely loves classical music and has been listening to it every night before bed (after reading) since he was tiny. His favourite composer is Debussy so it will be a red-letter day when he can play it for himself.
DeleteHow wonderful ... I've always wanted to learn piano, and I would love to have such a beautiful instrument in my home. Lovely.
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