One of my first orders of business after we got home
was to have the piano re-tuned. It had
gone predictably wonky as it settled in while we were gone. Until it was re-tuned, there wasn’t much
point in playing with Akemi. And while
we were away, she had her violin in the shop for some maintenance and to have
her bow, much abused with conservatory use, re-haired.
So yesterday and today were the first chances we had
to hear how the violin and the piano, and Akemi and me, sounded together now. For old times’ sake, we played through some
of her childhood pieces. Every now and
then, she’d stop to say, “I can’t believe I used that fingering” and other such
gems of perspective.
We’re always on the hunt for decent “salon pieces,” the
short crowd-pleasers for church musical numbers, receptions, and dinner
parties. She’s tired of Gluck’s Melody from Orfeo and Euridice and Elgar’s Salut
d’Amour; too bad, because I like how she plays them. We ran through some new hymn arrangements and
a new classical possibility which we both think is beautiful: “Je crois
entendre encore” from Bizet’s Les Pêcheurs
de Perles.
I can't get enough of the
tactile joy of Steinway action that plays again like Steinway action. I keep saying it's like driving a race car. We had fun reveling in marvelous sound together before Akemi had to return to the business of practicing.
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