Tickling the Ivories

My mother bought a beatifully constructed piano, circa 1890, while they lived in California (where I was born) so that she could learn how to play. She took lessons while I grew inside her belly. Perhaps that is why I love music so much? Maybe, maybe not. Either way it’s a nice thought.

I also took lessons for six years and all my scales and etudes and reditions of great works from the likes of Mozart, Bartok and Schuman rang out on the same keys my mother played upon. My piano teacher recommended a gentleman to come tune the piano and every time he visited he offered to buy it from my mother and every time she refused to sell.

I am so glad she did, as it has pretty much become a part of the family. All the grandkids like to bang play on it and I still like to hammer out a few Christmas carols at the holidays and the occasional hymn on it when I am at their house. It is a somewhat ornate antique upright that resides in their game room and to this day I love to move my eyes around the architecture of its design.

Who knows when it was last tuned (I doubt my mother even recalls) and it’s missing a few keys and some of the innerworkings and strings have major issues. However, it still works fairly well and has real ebony and ivory keys, which is basically unheard of these days.

I am not sure why I felt the need to post about the piano. Maybe it’s because I am still thinking of Zeke a lot and just wanted to remember something that cannot die that has always been in my family and is also black and white. Or perhaps it’s because music is a huge part of my life and I long to play again even though there is not a piano in my home now.

Somedays I would really just like to be able to sit down and play again. I know I am pretty rusty but if I could practice up I am sure I could make it sound somewhat like music again. Little G seems to share my love of music and I think it would be wonderful for both of us if I could be the one providing it. We’ll see, maybe someday soon.

I happened to find several pictures of the grandkids at the piano (The B Man is the little blond headed boy in these) and even one of myself, playing and singing carols with my nieces several Christmases ago.

For years now my main instrument has been my voice and that will continue but yes, it would be nice to be able to tickle the ivories again.

So tell me, what instrument did you or do you play? Do you miss it? Obviously I do.