Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Composer's Lounge Piano, the heart of the home

I find that when I visit homes that lack
a piano (or other musical instrument, but
particularly a piano...) they seem sterile
and without a heart.
If they have neither a piano or a pet,
and I have to stay there very long, it causes
grief...and I need to leave soon.
If there are no pianos, pets or plants, its
anathema!

I'm not so sure about sterile, but I'd agree with empty. There is a certain void of tangibles to me that the homeowners may get out of something else in the house, but with which I do not typically find myself associating. They may like art, or antiques, and so their houses are filled with these things. My grandmother is particularly fond of cruets (though she does have a piano, and did have a cat until the poor thing died...but she made it to 18 years old, which is a ripe old age for a cat).

I tend to associate with living things. I love cats...my favorite animal. Dogs can be cool, but cats are awesome. So a house devoid of animals creeps me out anyway. :p

But I can survive without a piano. If there is one, I tend to want to touch it, to play it, and when I go to people's houses, that's not supposed to be why I'm there. So, no piano is, to me, "no temptation".

A person has a voice in which to sing whereever one goes.

Also, hanna2222, you could take a keyboard around with you to those places.

The worst thing is a house with a piano used as a beautiful decoration adorned with all kinds of things and one is afraid to even ask to touch it!

Hanna2222 or are you a Linda,

I looked at your profile and it says you're a spiritual counselor. Sounds wonderful, but I found this particular post somewhat judgmental. Are you having a bad day?

I must agree with Steve Chandler - your post sounds judgemental. I think that its something else that gives home a heart... love, warmness, welcome, people...

Maka

Or a huge pile of homemade muffins...

I love live music in a house. Also plants. But pets? I prefer books.

Ooops...sorry to offend...
Perhaps I was a bit off...probably wrote it
at 3 AM....
menopause insomniac...
Sorry gang.

I didn't find your thoughts offensive. Your post sounded more poetic than literal. I don't think you literally meant you would leave a house right away or earlier than planned due to a lack of a piano. I took it to mean, it just seems like somethings missing to you. I guess when I see a home without a piano and no one talks about music, I just figure - must be a group of people with other interests other than making music. I look around the house to find what their other interests or hobbies may be - maybe a book collector, cook, doll collector, golfer, etc.

While I always delight to find a good piano in a house, preferably one which is often played and is not merely an ornament, I cannot say its absence makes me feel anything in particular. By and large I find the heart of a home to be the people who live there. If I like the people I don't really care much about either the house or its contents.

The only thing worse than no piano in the house is a piano in the house that's not being used.

Best, John

Wow, You have only been on this forum for such a short time and already I've read at least 3 really good points you have made including this one! You should write a book of all your quotes.

I think it would make for a good lyric in a folk song. Add to it change a few things maybe, what Johnny-Boy said and what Peace

What are the odds on the average home having a piano ... remembering that the vast majority of the population are musically illiterate and can't sight-read keyboard music.

My educated guess is .01% or less than one in a hundred ... and this small percentage is likely to be largely represented by the affluent monied moguls who can employ Interior Designers to throw in a grand piano as a bizarre item of sophisticated decoration.

Hope the illiterate majority own a pet and remember to water their roses ... otherwise some of our ardent music lovers are likely to find piano-minus home visits mercilessly taxing.

But then, as the Gershwins so ably penned ...
"It Ain't Necessarily So".

I agree. So it annoys me when people have a piano that no one plays. I like pianos as an instrument, and when no one in the house plays, it's like "why did you get a piano?"

I usually play my piano to delight the little kids that come over. You'd be suprised at how many little toddlers have an interest in piano music. You've got to get them into it before they're taste in music is tainted by modern wastes of time and such.

Those pianos that nobody plays are also those pianos that nobody tunes.

John :p

Sad, but true. My sister inherited a Steinway from my Stepmom. 20 years ago it was a pretty nice instrument. I'd bet it hasn't been tuned in 10 years. I tried to talk her into selling it, but she's emotionally attached to an instrument she doesn't play (nor anyone in the family), doesn't maintain and thinks is worth a lot more than it is. It was built in the 1930s and to my knowledge has not been rebuilt. So rather than cause an emotional rift in the family I bought an Estonia 190. I have a great piano in my home.

The quickest way to give a home heart, and DEFINITELY to make it less sterile, is to have some kids around.

Absolutely, especially the less sterile part. If you're a clean freak keep the Lysol handy.

I think that people are part of "soul groups"
artists with artists, musicians with musicians,
etc.
math profs with math profs...
When I am in a home with a piano, or with
pets, I feel like I'm with my own soul
group...hence feeling more comfortable.
Didn't mean to make it sound so negative.