I spent a little time playing the piano yesterday afternoon after Adam finished tuning it. Boy! I haven’t played for a while and I’m going to have to work on my technique. And I was tired, so I didn’t have a lot of patience. Nevertheless, how wonderful to finally have a tuned and repaired piano!
It does need more work, however. That’s the bad news. The springs to the dampers are not in good shape, so when it’s played it has a live sound that would never do for a concert pianist but is okay for me and the average pianist. I want to save some money to get that done in the future. It would involve Adam and his co-workers actually taking the piano to his studio to work on it. It’s very involved, detailed work that is best done on site. It would cost about as the same as the work we’ve just had done, which, considering the meticulous work involved, is pretty reasonable.
It will have to wait. In my heart, I want to have the piano restored to its full power. Adam said that since it’s nearly 80 years old, none of this was unexpected.
I’m very impressed by Adam’s meticulous work and I trust his expertise. We’re so fortunate to have found him! My girl is getting her beautiful sound back, slowly but surely.
Adam working on the pedals.
Aren’t pianos beautiful? I never see this bottom section. Some dust removal was required.
And Adam did play some jazz – a version of “Stella by Starlight” – unprompted. I have it on video but I don’t feel comfortable sharing that on the blog. I don’t have his permission. It made me very happy to hear him play our piano.
This is my music cabinet, found at auction right after we moved here.
Mostly sheet music, with some dollhouse wallpaper and artwork that we wanted to keep flat.
And I played a bit of this little ditty.
I’ve never named the piano; it’s just my piano/Grandma’s piano.
We watched another screener last night, The Wife, starring Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce. I don’t want to say much about it if you haven’t seen it. She is wonderful, as is Pryce (who I got to see onstage many years ago.) Both of us had real problems with parts of the screenplay and with plot devices that didn’t serve the story or the actors. But Close is simply lovely and powerful in this role and I can see why she won the Golden Globe.
We’re waiting on more screeners – very slow getting to our mailboxes this year. My friends who are SAG members are having the same problem.
Happy Tuesday.
Seeing the insides of your piano and those big strings along the bottom reminds me of out first fox terrier, who would come and lay with his back up against them—practically lying on top of the pedals. His prompt to do this was whenever I started to play Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata! It’s as if those three notes were his siren song. (Also funny because of the words on the sheet music, “come to me all ye who need rest”.)
Love that story.
Our Riley loved listening to music. It calmed him. If I sat down at the piano, he was there. If Don played guitar, he was there. Miss him.
Typo, typo, typo…but you get the gist.
xo
I know you and husband work on Broadway!
Young man died in December and service this month in Putnam
county Wv. My home
I live in Indy now and Florida at my son so won’t be able to attend.
Derek keeling
He attended one of the high schools
Where I taught although he graduated while I was teaching in South Carolina.
I met him and his mom in a restaurant once and we had third row seats to see him in Grease on Broadway!
Darling young man!
I’m so sorry to hear of your loss, Brenda.
I’m happy your piano is on it’s road to becoming what it was and can still be. Do you find your musical ability helps you in your voice coaching, Claudia?
(I finished sewing my fleece PJs and wore them to sleep last night. I had sewn in a half lining for the front and back of the PJ top, so they are very warm and cozy. I’m going to rummage through my fleece fabric and make another pair! They are so easy to sew up in about two days. But first, my daughter’s bag and then my Mom’s curtains, and then another pair of new PJs for me..)
I supposed it does. I have a very good ear for sounds and subtle changes in inflection and pitch.
That instrument is a true work of art–the innards are intricate and beautiful in and of themselves. What a treat to see her. I’m glad you’re committed to fully restoring her individual voice and history. Your music cabinet is a lovely companion. Congratulations!
Thank you, Nora. More to come – but not for a while!
I love when the tuner comes to our house! In my simple musically unskilled mind, it is absolute magic. My husband practices a lot for church and school here at home, and I love when he plays. Again, the whole process for me is magic. When we were newly married, nearly 50 years ago (!!) I remember being at some sort of ladies Christmas gathering ~ probably for church ~ and they asked me if I would play the piano for the carols. I think they thought all musicians married musicians or that, through osmosis, I would be a piano player. Funny. I do wish I was. Both of our kids took lessons. Our daughter for 9 years and our son for only 2. So glad you will be enjoying yours again!!
I love that your tuner played a song “for” Stella!! I bet she blushed a bit! Have a great Tuesday!
I suppose they thought that if one person was musical, everyone was!
Adam remarked on our stove the first time he visited. He really liked it. But I never shared her name. So the fact that he played that song is so cool!
It is fun to see the inside of the piano. I know you are happy to have her getting back some shine. My list of movies to watch keeps getting longer and longer. I like Glenn Close so I’ll try to catch this sometime. I can’t get motivated today at all.
Me either! I feel like a slug!
I just finished watching Bird Box and it was so good!!
So glad you liked it!
Love the piano and wish I could play but will just have to listen to husband’s guitar instead.
When I hear ” Mocking Bird Hill” I am right back aged 5 in our sunny kitchen in Scotland in the early 50’s eating boiled egg with toast for breakfast and listening to my mother singing along with it on the radio. I started to follow your blog because of the name and have to say I am so glad I discovered you,so thanks for time and effort giving so much pleasure and connection to people all over the world. No matter what time of day you do it. Thanks and keep it up. Megan.
p.s. I liked Adam’s bottom section too,or did you mean the piano?
Ha! I did mean the piano!
I’m so glad that Mocking Bird Hill is conjuring up happy memories for you, Megan. Thanks for your kind words.
Glad your piano is tuned. Enjoy.
Marilyn
I will, Marilyn.
So happy that you are playing again Claudia…what a wonderful choice of a song Adam played for you!
I know! I only wish it had been longer!
So glad that you are playing your piano again. I love the story behind it too. My piano is in need of tuning. Just haven’t found anyone here. The last time the piano was tuned was 1994 just before we went overseas. For some reason someone told me that we should have waited to have tuned. And now we may have a move coming up in the next year. I don’t know how true that is about waiting until after move. For me I can’t tell how badly out of tune it is. But it bothers my husband. He is more sensitive I guess because he plays guitar. Wanted to tell you–there is an used bookstore in Las Cruces, New Mexico that sells printed music. I think they may be online. My favorite movie with Glenn Close is Paradise Road. The movie is based on true events. About a group of women held prisoner by the Japanese during WWII. They formed a vocal orchestra. If you haven’t seen it I think you may enjoy it.
I realize I forgot to give you the name of the used bookstore–Coas is the name. I will check to make sure about being online.
xo
You should have it tuned after a move. The change in temperature, the change in climate, and the movement of the piano affect the pitch of the piano.
Thanks for the info on the bookstore, Trina!