Scarlatti in Sandton

Oh no! The Japanese kid across the way is starting to practice piano. It’s horrible. I mean, he’s quite accomplished really.... but how much Scarlatti and Mozart can a person really stand? I played it, my kids played it, now THIS kid is playing it at top volume on a fairly dreadful keyboard or electronic piano. Can this family not afford headphones?

Actually, it would be fine, but he really needs a metronome. (Should I buy one for them, and leave it on their doormat?) Now I finally understand what all of my piano teachers have been telling me ... for 40 odd years.... There’s pleasure to be had in listening to music, but a huge part of that pleasure is the wonderful feeling of “the expected, ... achieved”.... which includes, in a major way, doing the piece in flippin’ TIME! Call me a crab, but it is torture, torture, to hear someone stumbling all over the keyboard, erratically. Speed, yes, we all know you can do that! -- but in time, now that is an achievement. (My apologies right now to everyone, everyone, who’s ever listened to me practice!)

And at least one might have the decency to turn down the amplification. Maybe his parents think they’re providing high class entertainment for the whole neighborhood? Of course what they don’t know yet is that Tessa’s trumpet arrived in the air shipment today! We’ll see who laughs last! OK, I’m turning on my CD player now. Don’t bother trying to call, I won’t hear a thing!