i was just about to take a break from practicing Tempest passages from the 3rd movement a moment ago and heard 'knock knock'. a well dressed old lady showed up, and said she's living just downstairs and heard my playing and want to say something to me. i thought she's about to complain my playing maybe too loud. but i was supprised to hear what she said. apparently she knows little about music or piano and couldn't even name whatever pieces i played, but she said, 'last Saturday we heard you playing a classical music. i was asking my husband who's playing upstairs, a man or a woman, and he didn't know. but it was beautiful! ... are you playing in an orchestra?" oh, no, i am just learning as i said. it must be Fur Elise i was playing last Saturday, i guess, since i was polishing it last week and the window was opened and perhaps that's what she heard.

it is perhaps the 1st time a stranger coming to me to comment on my piano playing. Does anyone has similar experience (excluding teacher's)?

My cat always joins me when I play unless I am working on scales, she will leave the room for that.

I think it is great your neighbor commented.

somebody down the street once left a vase full of flowers on my front porch with a note "my garden and I love your music"

unsigned.. I'm still not sure exactly who left it, there are a few nice gardens in earshot

-Paul

I was once playing the Moonlight while some people from South Texas were trying to sell my parents produce (their corn was really good!). Our piano is situated so that you can just see the back of the head of the person playing. The lady selling us food said to my dad, "Wow! Your daughter plays beautifully!" My dad said, "That's my son." The lady mumbled, "Oh..." and walked away to go get our food. I decided to get a haircut.

My husband falls asleep all the time when I am playing. Does that qualify as a comment? If so - what does it mean???? All opinions welcome

A former teacher used to insist that I play at her open house recitals. Every year I would try and every year I would crash and burn...until my final year of study with her. I managed to play through Beethoven's Op. 31 No. 3 'Menuetto' without making any errors or losing my place. A first.

A year or two later I was at lunch with friends when this woman came up to me. I sort of recognized her but didn't know why. She told me she was the mom of one of my (former) teacher's teen students and said "I hope you are continuing to study and play the piano, because you are without question one of the most musical people I've ever heard." Boy did that ever make my day!

Ranks right up there with my mother bursting into tears when I played Mozart K.331 for her.

A lady who walks by our house thought my Mom was listening to a recording of Maple Leaf Rag over and over...

Sure! It means he's relaxed, soothed by your playing.

When I am working on something over time I notice that I must be playing it at least in recognizable form as I have caught my husband and the kids humming the melodies days later!

One of my neighbors who I know only slightly asked to se my player piano. Of course, I don't have a player piano...and of course my daughter likes to make sure I'm not playing when her friends come over...

Congrats signa! You are now officially a "pianist". But seriously, when someone gives you a compliment like that it has to make your confidence go through the roof. And, more importantly, you were able to let someone else enjoy the music with you. That's what is satisfying to me.
The only comment about my playing happened a couple of weeks ago. I was playing at my lesson when some of the younger students commented to my teacher that it must be easier for adult students to learn. I think that was a compliment on my playing, but you can never be too sure.
Jon

A neighbor made my day (week, month) several months back. I went out one Sunday evening after a long practice to spend some time with the telescope and the stars. A pair of neighbors stepped out to join me. They asked, "What CD were you listening to this afternoon? It was really beautiful." I was thrilled to be able to say, "That was me, live!" (It meant a bit more even, as one of the pair was a skilled piano Ph.D. before turning to law.)

More recently, during my down time waiting for the new hammers, several neighbors had gathered on my front lawn to discuss politics and life, as we often do. One among them asked why they hadn't heard me playing for a while and said they'd "missed it". I told them my little horror story about the hammers. Another among them suggested that I should play with the windows open. (I don't--I purposely close them all. But the kid across the street opens the French doors and windows whenever he plays. And the playing is fair, but the singing with it... )

When a new neighbor was moving into the house next door last week, another neighbor a fair distance up the block joined me to welcome them to the neighborhood. He said, "Rick's very considerate about his playing hours and when he does play, it's truly beautiful".

So far, so good. No complaints--about the piano--yet. (One woman up the block did ring the doorbell once to tell me, "I just love your music, but could you please turn it down!")

I used to be introduced to new acquaintances by friends as a "painter" or "journalist" or "homebuilder" and others, but it's more satisfying (if humbling) to now nearly always find myself introduced as "pianist". I've been and done many things in life before finally getting into that earliest of ambitions--the only one that came from an inward desire and not mere serendipitous opportunity. And even if it'll be many years of hard work and practice before I will personally be willing to own up to that introduction as "pianist" (without quickly discounting it down to "hack"), it is more personally meaningful than any other title I've been labeled with during my life.

There's a great violinist and a great trumpet player in the neighborhood. I'd love to tell them so--if I could figure out where they are!

I'm so glad I don't have to worry about neighbors. We live on 10 acres. I haven't made the dogs howl yet But the fox terriers do go crazy when I play Clementi - opposite of the Mozart effect.

it sounds great to be called a 'pianist'! i wish i could play like you, ChickGrand.

Teachum,



I live in an appartment and whenever I meet a neighbour in the lift I always cross fingers hoping s/he is not going to mention our piano playing (my elder daughter plays too). So far, they are being patient.

Neus

Neus,
I know what its like. My neighbour likes to play basketball which drives me insane. Revenge was mine however, I opened all windows and doors and did a two hour session of every scale etc I know!!
In reply to the topic, I was playing to my parents on my new piano and my mother had tears in her eyes.
i may have been pleased but my mother is very hard of hearing and even if I played 'chopsticks' my parents would think it was great such is their knowledge of music!!



Teresa

Teresa,

Granted then that she enjoyed your playing and was moved by what little she could could hear. :3hearts:

And I like your piano-revenge. We, pianophiles who live in appartments can always keep this "hidden card under our sleeve".

Neus

My seven-year old daughter said I sound good. Shows how much she knows....

Gosh, I hadn't really thought about neighbors being to hear me!

My husband falls asleep when I play too!! I prefer that to him singing over my shoulder though! I make too many mistakes for someone to sing along and keep going!

When I play at a piano store and the salesmen don't yet know that I have no intention of buying anything, they tell me who well I play!