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I am beside myself.

I went to this lady's house who plays and teaches dulcimers and psalteries to buy a psaltery.

When I got there she took me by the hand and it felt wonderful, so connected.

She has a beautiful home with a butterfly garden that ends in a creek. It's breathtaking, I was so in awe. OMG I'm such a story teller, I can't just get to the point.

So she demonstrated some of her skills and she's awesome on the dulcimer and psaltery. She then walked me through her garden and on the way out, I noticed she had a console piano.

I asked her if she played and she said it was her first instrument but she doesn't play she just uses it to pluck notes to help her with her dulcimer.

So after we walked in the garden she asked me if I would play something for her. I immediately told her, well I've never played for anybody and I'm not sure how it'll go without my sheet music.

So she said it's ok give it a try. So she said

"I'm going for a walk now, I won't be here" and sat down on the couch.

I had a million things racing through my head. I've been playing "Olympic Procession, Aloha, and Black Forest Polka" everyday because they're neat pieces from Alfred's.

As I sat down I decided to play a Waltz my teacher assigned to me which now has graduated to my repertoir. I play it every other day aside from the First and Second Movement of Beethoven Sonatina.

So I sat down, started and fumbled. The keys didn't look like they were in the right place. I tried again and got it.

I played through and I looked up and the lady was leaning back on the sofa with her eyes closed.

When I finished she said "that was absolutely beautfiful" you are good for having been at it less than 2 years.

I was ecstatic, then she played some more for me and then I called my piano teacher and ran to her house to show her the psaltery, and played twinkle twinkle. Incidentally she said she wanted me to play something for her next lesson. I knew I should have kept it a secret.

Anyway I'm hooked. I want to do it again, the lady wants me back. She loved my visit as she said herself.

I want to do duets, I want to learn to play the tin whistle and play together. I want my teacher to as well.

Wow wow, I keep jumping for joy. What a feeling!!!! I love it, who would have thought I'd be a HAM

that sounds great loly!!! you are moving on up:) and now you are going to play the psaltry?? psaltry lessons coming next:) congrats on playing and from memory to boot!!!

What a great story. Your choice of instruments - whistles, psaltries, and pianos is the BEST Psaltries have such an ethereal sound.

And congratulations on playing from memory - one of those "growth spurt" moments Mark... talks about - "Listen, Ma! I can play it by heart!"

And duets are really fun, so you're on your way -

Cathy

Very cool story! It sounds like great fun.

That's awesome!!

hehehe

What are the chaces of us getting to hear you play the psaltery??

I'll get the book and play twinkle twinkle later on. I promised I wouldn't touch it till after my piano practice.

The psaltery is soooo easy. you're playing music within minutes.

I'll get my tin whistle next week so I'm going to be one busy bee.

Cool story thanks for sharing it


Nowt wrong with being a 'HAM'


Lee

What I neat story, Loly. I can (or did) play most of the pieces you mention, but there is no way I would play in public, yet.

I think we are close as far as progress (through Alfreds, I mean), so maybe soon, but not yet.

Thanks for posting. It's incouraging, and maybe a little challenging as well.....

Sounds like an all-around wonderful day! Haha, you sound absolutely OVERJOYED!
Are you playing a bowed or plucked psaltery? Can't wait to hear ya! Maybe eventually you will play us compositions using all 3 of your instruments!
Have fun....

Tina

Such a great story (and well-told... you ARE a story teller)!!

Congratulations on your new psaltery! Such lovely sounds. I love learning new instruments. I'm happy with you, and smiling at my screen!

Kim

Oh my goodness! that was such a great story -felt like I was there too I heard you and her playing and everything and the GARDEN! what a wonder!!

how lovely!

Wonderful story, Loly.

I'd love to hear you playing the psaltery when you're ready. I've never heard one.

I had to google it to find out what it was.

After watching the great Orson Welles movie, The Third Man, I would LOVE to have a zither.


Mel

I broke away from the piano yesterday mid practice and did a few tunes. I'm not as fast with it yet because I don't know how the strings are lined up but I'll get to it soon this week and record something.

My teacher really loads me down (I'm working on 2 new pieces, 3 works in progress, 2 czerny, and 4 repertoir aside from scales and chromatic)everyday and I can't slack on anything since she teaches me without charging I feel more obligated than ever to be well prepared.

I'm going to look up the zither. I hope it's not something I'll absolutely love and have to learn as well. Thanks for that Mel!!!! ha ha jking.

Nice story, Oxfords Gal.

If steam whistles blow steam, what do tin whistles blow?

Psalteries sound wonderful. Did you know that this is the great great grandfather to the piano?

John

No I didn't John, that's nice to know. I did know that it was used in Biblical times.

Incidentally I played O Come Emmanuel on it yesterday a few times and was just starting to get the hang of connecting the notes a little quicker before I had to go back to the piano.

Today is my piano class so I might record O Emmanuel this evening. It'll sound a little rough due to not figuring out how I can hold it and keep the music in front of me and still having to look at it to see where the notes are.

Here's O Come Emmanuel. It's a bit rough, I had to memorize it to keep from looking at the book. It'll get smoother soon. I have to find the best distance for the recorder.

It reverbs alot which is nice. It sounds shriller in the recording more than it really is.

http://www.box.net/shared/szzz8cyf4c

Cool sound. It's almost like a glass harmonica! Thank you for the little recital.

Link of interest:
http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/psaltery.htm

John

That is very cool!!
And a very cool sound too!!
I want one.

Great story!

I shouldn't have read it though, you're too enticing a story teller. Now I want a psaltery as well.... to add to all those other instruments that I've got hidden under the bed....

Cheers,

chris

ha ha ha Chris. You'd like the psaltery it's so darn easy to play.

I'm having tons of fun with the Irish or Tin Whistle as well. You can play beautiful Irish jigs and stuff within minutes as well.

It's a nice diversity from the piano.

I'm perfecting "The dawning of the day" and going to double with Lynn, while she plays it on the dulcimer.

I love the Piano, I spend so much time on it but I love the other 2 little instruments because you can take them with you and you can play duets easily.