Playing With It
I was thirteen. Or fourteen. Those hormonally challenged years all bleed together.
But, I was visiting my Mamaw in Eastern Kentucky. She took us to her country Methodist church. 10 people. No pastor. Met every fourth Sunday.
Of course, they had a piano. Upright. Out of tune.
Because they had a piano, I got volunteered to play a fancy piece for all 10 people in worshipful attendance. All of them were my relations, because, you know, it was Eastern Kentucky.
Mortified, I tromped to the instrument and banged out the right notes from memory. For close to five minutes, I made music the way it will sound in the hereafter. It was rapturous. I was so pleased with myself that I glanced over at the audience, and grinned like Liberace.
And forgot the piece. Every note evaporated from my dimwit mind, causing my diva-like, hormone-fueled emotions to spew buckets of tears out of my eyes, accompanied by lots and lots of wailing.
Quite a show. Everyone was so happy they got up for church that morning. Especially (not) me.
Fast forward to last night. MTM and I are in Beaufort, South Carolina for a Rotary event. District Governor Grand Poobah Ed Duryea and his wife Cindy are hosting us. Graciously, I might add.
So, when we walked into the house last night at almost 11pm, and Ed turned to me and said, “You play the piano. I’ve seen it online. You and Cindy go play for us. Right now.”……I did not feel like I could say no.
For about fourteen seconds, I regressed in my mind to those bawling minutes in the country church, before I sat down, took a deep breath, and played.
It’s easier to make mistakes in public when you’re older.
Isn’t it?
By the way, Ed and MTM insist that Cindy and I made no mistakes. 
And you probably did not. I’d even venture to say you rocked it.
I made lots of mistakes, Jessie. But, we just went back and did it again. I don’t play enough to read music fluently.
Smart husbands…Love the entendre in paragraph one.
My best entendres are totally unintentional. I didn’t even realize it was one until you pointed it out.
My pleasure.
I remember pumping the organ in church as a young boy – there’s a double entendre for you, worthy of Benny Hill.
Hahaha, Roger. Most excellent.
Those two guys are pretty smart Dudes, I’m sure it sounded something like this.
http://www.maniacworld.com/girls-play-bach-on-the-piano.html
simply amazing indeed….
Sure, Lou. Sure. That was Cindy and me. Sure.
You are so brave. While it is easier to make mistakes as an adult, I still hate being put on the spot.
I hope you don’t mind but, since you are such an incredible storyteller, I’ve nominated you for “the next big thing” on my blog. Don’t feel pressured to do anything about this, I really was using this post to challenge my own abilities to talk about my writing. http://lisawieldswords.wordpress.com/2012/11/03/who-is-the-next-best-thing/
I just read it and was talking to MTM about it. I almost never talk about the book I’m currently working on, which is the one I’m most excited about, and we were debating the idea of my doing a post. We decided it is a good idea, so look for it by tomorrow.
And, thank you. I love hearing about your project and cannot wait to read it. xo
I wasn’t sure either. I’ve been keeping it quiet. But, I think I need to push myself into being an advocate for my own work. I’m great at advocating for others, not so much for myself. This was my own personal kick in the butt.
I’m really excited about your project, Lisa, and not just because you have a character named Andra. If you need a reader, please let me know. I’d be happy to do it.
The video was hilarious. I would love to hear you play piano Andra, it is one of my favorite musical instruments. Once upon a time Katy used to play.
I really do need to play more, but I only do it when I’m taking lessons. It is so hard in Charleston to find a person who will teach an adult. I like being pushed.
Back to the spirit of the salon
I have no doubt it was a wonderful recital, Andra. We use our unconscious to master musical pieces by heart. Anything which recalls the skill to the conscious, and makes you question, can cause immediate problems. It’s like that old Peter walking on the water story from the gospels. You can walk on the water so long as you trust that great resource, your mind: look down, question the miracle that is going on, and you could be in deep water.
I wonder if that’s what faith is?
Peter was Doubting Thomas in so many ways. How well I did in the moment, yes, that WAS a miracle.
I can SO identify with this. After studying piano for 5 years, when I arrived at the ripe age of 12, I was ready to be done with it. Especially after I was programmed to play Bach’s (simple) Prelude in C and forgot the middle part…the first part has a repeat after the first pass and then into the B section; only I forgot the B section; and replayed the A section. I got up and ran out, in hysterics, too. So in this alphabet soup response, realize that you are truly understood. It was only when I was in my late 30s and was giving a vocal recital in conjunction with the Christmas in Wraggborough event, when I forgot the lyrics of a very difficult piece, I just relied on my accompanist to follow me back into the A section. I never let on, and then skipped to the ending, no flustrastion (my own word) and everybody clapped and smiled. Only the accompanist and I knew the difference.
Flustration. I am using that word.
Anyone who has performed can feel the flustration of your experience, Cheryl. It has never been something I could flip on and off like a switch. I had to be in the mood, and when requests have been made, I usually wasn’t. Lucky for me, it was late last night.
Cindy has been practicing for a Christmas performance, four pianos, and I haven’t touched one in well over a year, but she was gracious to me.
Hopefully you had a few frosty beverages and were loose enough not to care! And so could play away!
You may absolutely use that word in very good health and purposefulness!
I need to participate in your milestone. Not your gallstone, however; that is private.
Ha. So, where do I send the surcee, if you and Annie win?
Please send it to:
The Desert
USA
That should do it, but if you need more details, they are:
Third Desert on the Left
USA
Great. I will send it right on.
That husband of yours is a keeper. Well played MTM!
I used to have a friend who could play almost anything, anytime, flawlessly. One of those people who only had to hear a song to be able to play it perfectly – and then improve upon it. I hated him. Buried his body behind the band room.
Ew. Like you, I envy those people.
It’s great to be in the “spotlight” . . . but only when the spotlight is where we want to be. Glad that Ed and MTM enjoyed the performance.
It wasn’t so bad in the end.
I used to just hate recitals. I would get so nervous that I experienced a sort of “blindness”–not literally, but I would suffer some kind of strange inability to see the music or the keys. Everything would get kind of blurry…I would love to go back to those years and be able to tell myself that perfection wasn’t necessary and to just have fun! Now I really don’t have the opportunity to play for anyone. I think it’s great your musical talent was requested!
Blindness. Wow, that is a frightening one, Debra. I am sure you managed to get through it and perform, though, right?
My great aunt played an old black upright piano at my grandmothers very old Southern Baptist church way out in the boonies. These were a prim and prper sort of people. My great aunt was much more cheerful and always smiling and laughing. When she stepped up to the piano the 23 slowly driven miles to the boonies was worth it. If you closed your eyes you would swear that Jerry Lee Lewis was playing that piano! I loved it. I was able to acquire a free piano that looks much the same as the one she has in her house and I adore it. Can’t play it and never will but I still adore it.
Awesome story. I love how an instrument can get under the skin, even if we can’t play a lick.
Oh, man. Freezing up at a recital is the WORST when you’re a kid. After the first time I got obsessive about practicing starting midway through so that if I got thrown off my game, I wouldn’t have to start from the beginning again.
I tried that tactic as well, but when I forgot it, my whole brain froze. I could recall a thing from anywhere.
The wise men aren’t only in the Bible.