Forty Miles of Bad Piano Road

No, I didn't have to play this jewel of a piano.

But it's not beyond imagination (sadly) that a client would say, "Oh, it will be fine---just do what you can with it.  No one will know."

(When they say that, and I've heard it often over the years, I always want to say, "YOU, Mr. Client, may not notice anything amiss because YOU are a moron. But don't underestimate your guests.)

This mangled piano was in a fancy wedding venue in the mountains of North Carolina, not far from Cashiers. It's a fancy place.

I'm hoping that this piano is just there for atmosphere.

But, looking at it, you have to wonder what this piano has seen. Was it beat up this way in a middle-class living room? Not likely.

In a holy-roller church, where it was played by enthusiastic piano-pounders? In a raunchy mountain beer joint where the band set up behind chicken wire? By Jerry Lee Lewis wannabes?

Who knows? It's fun to imagine, but it was more fun to see it and know I didn't have to sit down and fight to make music come out of that box!

Nothing to Do With A Piano, But . . .

Well, it's been months since I posted to The Brick Piano. Negligent. Badly negligent.

It's not a good thing to ignore your own blog for months.

But I can explain. I've taken an odd new (or maybe old) direction and spent the last several months writing children's books. Talking dog variety. Chapter books.

This is not, I hope, as odd as it seems, because my goal in life is to be creative in a positive and happy way. Playing the piano for people is a wonderful way to do this.

And now, so is writing books about Perdita Whacknoodle. Actually, they're books BY Perdita Whacknoodle. She's a dog author. I'm just her scribe.

I'll quickly explain. Back when I was in college, my plan was to be an English professor, so I spent my time reading, writing, and made it through the MA (English) level before I discovered that playing the piano was a LOT more fun than arguing about literary minutia in increasingly irrelevant classes. And there weren't any good college-teaching gigs out there, anyway. So I bailed from academics, taught high-school English for a couple of years (in a wonderful school, and to wonderful kids), and have been playing the piano ever since.

Always, though, the reading/writing bug has stayed with me. Then the Kindle and the ebook revolution arrived. It's no longer necessary to go through the agonies of self-publishing (and 'real' publishing) as I did in the 1980's with my books on music. Ebooks are easy, immediate, and a real revolution.

Thus arrives Perdita Whacknoodle. Her blog is here (and I ask you: how many dogs have their own blogs?). And her Amazon books, which are doing great, selling well, and garnering terrific reviews from kids, are here. Or, they're listed in the Amazon box at right, down below the last CD.

The piano isn't going away in my life. Couldn't and never will. But that wonderful creative outlet has been joined by this one.

I'm happy. And I hope readers around the world are, too. So far, so good.

History of the Piano--an Infographic

When we sit down to enjoy our favorite instrument--well, at least it's MY favorite instrument--we usually don't think about all the innovations and changes and technological marvels that have gotten us to where we are today.

We just sit down and enjoy making music. But today's fine instruments are just the tip of the historic iceberg.

Here's a guest post from the HeyKiKi blog that illustrates--in a very clear infographic--how the piano evolved. One picture is still worth a lot of words.

If you like context with your music, you'll enjoy this graphic history of the piano at a glance.

A Good Piano Is Hard to Find

So . . . what IS that that makes one piano sound so good, and another (maybe very similar instrument) sound so lifeless and dull?

Well, obviously there are tons of variables--the quality of the instrument, the age of the strings and felts, and all that. But even given a well-maintained piano, I'm mystified sometimes by differences.

I vividly recall playing for a party at a very nice home in a very nice part of Atlanta---and there was a very nice K. Kawai grand in the living room. When I saw the piano, I was excited--a pleasant evening was in store, because I usually really like those pianos.

But it was not to be, and I just couldn't figure it out. The piano was in tune, clearly well-maintained, and the room was large with plenty of wood and reflective surfaces--but that was the one of the DEADEST pianos I've ever played. Maybe it was just a combination of things that I don't understand.

There is huge variety in pianos, and even very similar instruments from wonderful manufacturers can be dramatically different. You have to play it to be sure--the brand name only gets you started.

As always in these discussions, it reminds me of what Atlanta's dean of society pianists, Margaret Perrin, told me many years ago. "There is nothing," she said, "NOTHING, like a big old Mason-Hamlin grand." And, in my very honest opinion, she was exactly right!

Should We All Be Practicing?

This was taped to the door in a recording studio I visited recently. If you like it, you can get a clean copy from the original source.

Pretty much sums it up. I'm way behind on practicing.

Guess I'll go now and spend some time with Mr. Hanon. More posts later.

A Country With No Music? It Has Happened . . .

No music in an entire country?

It has happened.

Under the Taliban in Afghanistan, a mother could be imprisoned for singing lullabies to her baby. There was no music, no art, no poetry.

How did the arts survive?

A more basic question is 'How did the people of the country survive?' What would life be like in a land with no art, no music, no literature?

Andrew Soloman, who writes for The New York Times and others, went to Afghanistan to find out. He told the story recently on NPR's story-telling program, The Moth. It is riveting and is an utterly engrossing, frightening, and illuminating story.

While the audio file for his story may no longer be available on The Moth's site, it's worth checking because this is a story you'll want to hear.

And, if you can't find it there, here is a good summary from Sergio Gonzales' blog. It's an amazing story.

Life without music would be like life without food or air, wouldn't it?

Christmas CD Sale Till New Years Day

Every year we have a sale on my sixteen solo piano CDs, and we're doing the same this year. It's an easy 'buy four, get one free' sale, and Priority shipping (in the US) is free, too.

Over the years, we've sold thousands of CDs for gifts during the Christmas season, and many people tell us that they do much of their shopping on our website, so it's easy and quick.

During a year when people are watching their pennies, and looking for lasting value, we know that music is a perfect gift. It lasts forever, and the power of association is so strong that the recipient will think of you each time the CD is played.


(I don't normally use this blog for any commercial purpose, but the sale is a good deal and it makes sense to share the news.) And, of course, the CDs are widely available online and at download sites . . . but the sale is only at our own website.