Response to January 29th's posting:

“We are (on the Eastern Shore) MD; probably have 7 inches of snow... lovely... and the music you posted of this day matches the symphony God creates in softly falling snow beside waters of the bay gently lapping the shore. Thank you for adding beauty to our world."

This is a new piece of music I've chosen to learn. It's quite elegant and refined and requires a different quality of hearing in order to play it well. That ear must be located in the heart because by the end of the piece I find myself very moved.

Quoted from Wikipedia 'Preludes, Op. 23 (Rachmaninoff)'
"The "Russian" quality of the Op. 23 preludes is often noted by listeners: after hearing Boris Asafyev play the preludes, the painter Ilya Repin noted a streak of Russian nationalism and originality in rhythm and melody. At the same recital, Vladimir Stasov praised the characteristic "Rachmaninoff sound" and unusual and innovative bell-like quality of the pieces, and Maxim Gorky simply noted, "How well he hears the silence."

I'm learning to play this. Brahms Rhapsody Op. 79 No. 2. It's big, bold, beautiful and mysterious.

My hands hurt.

Frédéric Chopin

Life has been rather chaotic in our home since the week before Christmas. A family emergency called and we of course responded. It means I haven't had much time to practice. And it starts to show.

I have been working on a Chopin Prelude. It was coming along beautifully. And then I couldn't play much for a few weeks and, eek!, all that work began to fall apart. Irritation! Frustration! Agitation! In a moment of pique, right there at the piano, I HARMONICALLY TUNED for the piece to settle in my brain and fingers and SOUND like something please!

Whoa! Eureka! Abracadabra! It worked. The piece now sounds better than ever. All fell into place. The melody line sings out and the surrounding harmonies are lovely. I never tried tuning right there at the piano before. Usually I tune in my office in the morning for my clients and include tuning for me and the music if I'm so inclined. I was surprised how quickly it took effect. Like immediately.

Doors. We needed doors. Taking care of this piano is like taking care of a baby. Or good cigars. The room can't be too hot, too cold, too humid, too dry. Can't take direct sunlight. Needs to be on an inside wall. The humidifier system installed in the piano itself needs to be watered periodically. The lid should be kept up when not in use. No, no! The lid should be kept down when not in use.

We have one dehumidifier, two humidifiers and one cooling fan all used at various times depending on the temperature and humidity readings at any given moment. Crazy making.

After two months of electric bills made it obvious that we were managing the climate of the entire first floor, we decided to install doors at the two entranceways into the room.

They are lovely. And they do the trick. What's more, when I practice I feel I'm in my own little world. How delightful!

I started to play the piano when I was five years old. Our home had an old player piano in the basement. My father heard me playing tunes by ear and found a piano teacher for me. I continued to study through college. Although I played well, life called me in other directions. I married, had children and managed a very busy work and family life. Then we became empty nesters. Music called me. I had not played in many, many years and wondered, quite frankly, if I still had the chops to play much of anything.

And yet I had the sense that much had changed with my neurology and maybe, just maybe I might actually play better than I did as a young woman. While I was utilizing HARMONIC TUNING for my piano (see previous blog entrance) I practiced a little HARMONIC TUNING on myself. I tuned for the energy of the composers to be present in my music studio (doesn't that sound classy - it's actually our Living Room) and I TUNED for my body/mind to be able to tap into that energy, interpret the music and play it well.

It worked. The entire energy of the room changes. My body/mind responds to the changed energy and I not only learn music more easily than I did years ago, but the music making is more elegant and refined. It just comes. I practice, I have to practice, but it's joyful. It's fun. It's refreshing and nourishing to my very being. My piano senses this and meets me in that place where musician and instrument become one. Union. And in that union the heart opens and beauty is expressed as sound.