cyberspace junkyard

Pet names

Do you think it's strange that I name my musical instruments? Hmm...

Well, my little family hasn't grown for a while, but they are still as loved as ever. Here's a little family history, if you're interested.

Barny (short for Barnabas)
He was my first ever piano. A tiny little upright, that my cousin recommended to my mum when I was three. I started playing at four, and while I eventually moved on, it still gets played by my brother a couple of times a week. The poor thing has been bashed many times over the years - all that Rachmaninoff, Liszt and that darn Chopin Polonaise that I played for HOURS to prepare for an eisteddfod once. Still, Barny is faithful and hasn't broken a string on me yet!

Sebby (short for Sebastian)
My darling plastic treble recorder. I played him from about Year 7 all the way through to Year 12. (I was in the Recorder Group at school - believe it or not, we were a very credible Renaissance ensemble!) While I had the opportunity to play much more expensive and exclusive wooden recorders in my time, Sebby always had the most mellow sound and I can honestly say was the best recorder I ever played!

Cleo (short for Cleopatra) R.I.P.
Alas, Cleo (my first clarinet, a wooden Yamaha) was stolen / lost / kidnapped during a music tour of Brisbane in 1992). I'd only had her since 1988, and since most of that time was still in primary school, I don't think I appreciated her as much as she deserved. What do they say about not knowing what you've got til you've lost it? hee hee
In any case, Cleo was replaced by two other clarinets, one of which I donated back to my school, and the other of which resides in a friend's house, til I get up the nerve to ask for it back. In reality though, Cleo was irreplaceable, and I never named my other two clarinets. She was my only "female" instrument. The others definitely felt masculine - it has to do with the tone, timbre and temperament!

Bart (short for Bartholomew)
Bart is my current piano. He is a cream coloured baby grand and he's still earning his stripes! I got him about 4 years ago, and most of the time he gets played in accompaniment to someone singing, now. Still, every now and then I ship out an old piece and give him a good workout. He is definitely the baby of the family (no pun intended!) and is due for a tune-up soon, which should see him really develop over the next few years! He has a very bright sound (I used to think he was a bit *too* chirpy all the time) but now I just think of him as exuberant. He is definitely a big contrast to the piano I had before him... (see below)

As yet un-named
The word is out. I am on the search for my favourite instrument - the gorgeous 7 foot grand piano I had during my senior high school and early uni days. These were the times I played the most seriously - I had just finished my LMus and was preparing for my HSC. Mum found for me a old Kawai, which she got for a very good price. It was slightly smaller than a concert grand, but I don't think she realised what a treasure she uncovered! The piano had a smooth matt black finish - none of that glossy black we see so often nowadays. The sound it produced was also incredible. Smooth as honey, rich as dark chocolate, yet it could be light and crystal clear with just the right touch. Heavenly! Some might say that it had a bit of a stiff action, but I think it just allowed you to have a more consistent touch on the keys. I have never seen or played another instrument like it since. Not even the Sydney Opera House concert grand can stack up, in my opinion.

Unfortunately, when I gave up piano professionally in early uni, I sold the grand and invested in a keyboard. At the time, it seemed wise (we were also moving house). After a while though, I just missed the piano so much that I bought Bart, and the rest is history. Every now and then, I stop at a piano sale or a 2nd hand warehouse in the hope of finding my matt black treasure or something that at least reminds me of it. One day, my piano will come! =)