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Thanks for the birthday greetings. I'm back after a crazy but really fun weekend. The fairies were groovin', the woman playing the rabbit (who tends to be somewhat diva-like) behaved herself, and the tree did not forget his lines. Lots of happy kids at the castle.

I made it to my concert gig on Saturday evening with time to spare, and let me tell you, Schloss Hugenpoet was one beautiful place to play. The concert was a birthday gift for a man celebrating his 70th birthday. Beautiful Yamaha grand, lots of candles and rose petals, and because it was black tie, eighty very elegant looking guests. I played thirty minutes, right after the cocktail hour, when the guests had been seated for dinner. At one point during the performance I realized I still had tons of glitter from the fairy play all over my arms. But a little glitter never hurt anyone.

Dream job. I think the nicest part was that afterwards I got to go to my hotel room and order dinner—which, after a weekend of eating chocolate on the run with a troop of fairies, was divine. I took a long bath and chilled out. The next day I slept until one in the afternoon, which is very unusual for me. The last time I did that was in 1990, before I had kids.

The castle is called Schloss Hugenpoet and it belongs to the von Furstenburg family.

Photos here

Even the weather cooperated and the snow held off until Monday.

Now I am back to reality. Housework and office work have piled up, plus I have two more concerts and a wedding to think about in the next week.

Regarding the favorite age question? Hmmm. The funny thing about a favorite age is we never recognize it when it's happening. I mean, maybe it will turn out that my favorite age is NOW, but I just don't know it. Yet. I guess the trick is to stay alert and be grateful.

Sounds like a splendid weekend - and I'm sure the guests at the schloss were charmed by your glitter!

Okay, I'm sending William and Kate one of my CDs this week. I hear they are very hands on with the wedding planning.

The wedding coming up on Saturday has the dreaded Winter Wonderland theme. With the way the snow is coming down, I hope all of us can get there.

Time to drag out the Christmas music. I never play with music in front of me, so every year it's a big test of my memory to see how much of it has remained in my fingers from the previous season. Last year on the first day of playing Xmas music I got into a Carol of the Bells loop and couldn't figure out how to get out. Maybe I'll work on that one in advance this year. Then there are the German Xmas songs, which all have two and a half chords and sound alike, which makes me crazy.

Let it snow!

For once, you are safe. They are not going to be playing any CDs at their wedding--- I would gamble any amount on it. No need to send them the 'special edition.'

It is also just possible that Kate is not yet so jaded that she wouldn't appreciate the nice gesture. And now that I think of it, we don't know exactly what path the quarter takes when we put it into the jukebox, do we... or exactly how long it will take our song to boot up. But we can feel confident our number will play, all in good time.

In this context, I think that not playing at Chelsea's wedding could only be a plus for you.

Right, Clef. I was thinking the same thing. No need to send the "special edition" CD.

I am a great believer in putting myself out there. My dad calls it spaghetti flinging. If you throw enough noodles at the wall sooner or later one of them will stick. So I am flinging. May the noodle stick.

Geez, I think I just heard somewhere they are going to have rap music (Snoop dog sp?) at the reception. William's mother had much better taste in music from what I know. Sure hope they go with your beautiful music instead, Robin!

How many X-mas/Holiday standards that we hear here do they like over there in Germany, Robin?

Quick fashion report: Saturday's bride was just about perfect. She was in her fifties and wore a strapless sparkling white and silver chiffon creation with a very long train that had to be carried by little girls. Over the dress she wore a coat made out of fluffy white feathers (I'm sure Sally the duck and her colleagues were NOT pleased) and silver sparkle Jimmy Choo peep-toe shoes that had been delivered from London the day before the event. I know this because I was back behind the reception desk with my co-workers gawking at the shoes, which were quite possibly the most exquisite foot apparel I've ever seen. It helped that the shoes were a size 37 (about a 6 in American sizing) and looked like something Barbie might wear on prom night.

Musically the gig was easy. I was booked for the afternoon reception—coffee, cake, champagne—a warm-up for the big evening event played by my pal Thomas Prinz (is that a great name or what?) and his trio. I'm sure Thomas was there until the wee hours. At my age I'm more cut out for the afternoon/early evening engagements.

The bride had hired an extremely handsome photographer (maybe she ordered him from London, too) who was completely arrogant and obnoxious and insisted on storing his gear under he grand piano. He tried putting things on top of the piano, too, but I gave him the evil eye and put an end to that.

I would like to go on record as saying that just about every man I know cannot resist a flat service for storage of his stuff. Table top, kitchen counter, grand piano—it's as if these surfaces were designed specifically for piles of gadgets, papers, keys, and half-finished beverages. Women hardly ever throw things on top of my piano. Men are the big culprits. And male wedding photographers seem to think the piano was placed in the lobby as a special work space just for them. Remember the sugar cube pyramid incident? I'm still cringing from that one.

So that was it for the 2010 wedding season. I went out with a swish of silvery chiffon, a couple of runaway ostrich feathers, and a photographer who looked like George Clooney rummaging around underneath my piano, perilously close to my pedal foot. I'd say it was an appropriate end for a pretty good year.

Yesterday I played a really nice concert/reading for the International Ladies' Society of Bonn. I did a test drive of one of the chapters from the new book and was encouraged by the response. New book has been edited (by the masterful Richard Johnston, who did Piano Girl). I have fourteen more cocktail piano gigs this month. plus my big concert/reading at the castle on the 12th. December madness! But it's all fun, even when it's not.

Elssa, the Germans have their own Christmas standards, but they also recognize most of the American melodies. Many of the religious songs we know in the USA are based on old German hymns, so there's a lot of crossover at this time of year.

Hmmm.... if I had a man who looked like George Clooney rummaging around in the vicinity of ANY part of my body, I'd let him rummage.

Yeah, well it gave me all sorts of story ideas, that's for sure. Would have been nicer, though, if he hadn't been such a jerk. But he was extremely good looking. And having him under the piano was certainly better than the castle mouse or a five-year-old.

"Better than a mouse" strikes me as highly lukewarm, as an endorsement. Is it obvious to anyone but me--- he was rummaging under the piano hoping to be able to look up your dress. And of course, his handsome face could hardly do him any good if it was under the piano where it could not be seen. However, his attitude could still be felt.

This is not a winning combination. But--- oh well, pretty is as pretty does, and if the photos came out well, the photographer's manner will be forgotten soon enough.

I don't know about a book chapter, but I think we could find a place for him as a "Wedding Jeopardy" question. ("I'll take Obnoxious Photographers for 200, Alex." "And the answer is: the Duchess of York."

Let us leave it there...)

I have let a lot of juicy anniversaries go by unmentioned in the past week or two--- for example, the invention of the neon sign--- but there are a couple of upcoming special events somewhat worth mentioning. A solar coronal mass ejection is predicted to cause a spectacular display of Northern lights over the next few days (and that's better than a neon sign any time). Actually, the aurora is kind of a special case of the same principle. The Geminid meteor shower, one of the best of the year, is approaching its maximum on December 13. Interesting if you like fireballs. And--- did you know? I didn't--- that there is an asteroid named for Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, the noted French builder of pipe organs: 5184 Cavaillé-Coll. I happened to learn this--- not by browsing the JPL Small-Body Database Browser--- but because today is the birthday (in 1822) of organist Cesar Franck.

There are a lot of reasons that 'under the piano' is the wrong place for the photographer.

I wonder if he took photos under the piano. Maybe the photographer has a foot fetish and liked the idea of a naked foot (with Chanel rouge-noir polished toes, I might add) in a high-heeled sandal on the pedal.

I see England, I see France, . . . the skirt was long and voluminous, so I doubt he got a look at much more than my toes.

I think he just needed a place to store his gear, and since I nixed the top of the piano pile-up, he went for the floor. It gets tight in the hall during one of these big shindigs and he wanted easy access to his stuff.

And I agree, Clef— that photographer should get out from under the Yamaha and go check out what's happening in the winter sky. My goodness, that sounds like quite a show. Much better than neon.

My big annual Concert in Candlelight is on Sunday. We are sold out. This is the one that got cancelled last year due to a blizzard. Weather report looks good for this weekend, but you never know.

Life is like crawling under a piano. You never know what you'll get.

I would have been the late Seventies, or early Eighties. I was helping to set up a small P.A. system in a large disco. They were hosting Peter Allen's birthday party late that night.

The main dance floor was on the lower level. The upper level had a railing that overlooked the dance floor. One of several bars was located up there, and at least for that night there was a gleaming white grand piano set up in front of it. I believe the small sound system was probably to allow the guest of honor to perform up there, rather than through the fairly distant "house" system.

I had to crawl under the piano to run a wire. Although the party was not to be until much later, a smattering of guests had already arrived. I backed out from under the piano and stood up. As I turned around I was face to face with a man maybe 6'2", head shaved bald, in a strapless electric-blue evening gown. I noted that he was drinking a glass of wine, which had likely been served by the muscular bartender in the French Maid's outfit.

A quick scan around the place revealed quite a variety of elegant female attire, much of which was occupied by actual women. It was shaping up to be quite the shindig.

I was working that night at a different club doing live sound. It was late when I finished, but I was sure the Peter Allen party would still be in full swing. I grabbed a screwdriver and a roll of duct tape on my way out.

When I got back to the disco there was still a mob outside trying to get in. This place was so hot at the time that it didn't even have a sign outside. Naturally it was always jammed.

I went up to the door and was stopped by the requisite behemoth of a man, asking if I had an invitation. I said no, holding the tape and tool within view, someone had called me about a problem with the sound system I had put in earlier.

I added, "But it's late man, I'd just as soon go home..."

"Uh, no.." he said a little nervously, "you'd better take a look".

I was never a club guy, even in my tender years. But this was quite a bash. I didn't stick around very long.

Sounds like the Limelight.

Love this story. Loved Peter Allen. Love New York. Love your posts!

Underground. Was Limelight around then?

Meteors yes, but aurora probably no.

I grew up in northern Wisconsin and saw plenty of fantastic northern light shows.

My kids were born in Alabama and Virginia and have never had the chance.

When my employer moved me to Germany, I checked the latitude and found we were north of International Falls. Great! The kids will get a chance to see something really amazing.

It turns out that magnetic north is tilted considerably from true north. Where we lived in Germany was far north in latitude, but it was fairly southerly relative to the magnetic north pole. Alas, no northern lights were ever to be seen.

No piano gigs this Christmas, but I played trombone at today's concert, and next Sunday I'm directing handbells, playing recorder (they're expecting an alto but I'm going to surprise them with the 'nino), and singing the Mendelsohn "There Shall A Star" in a vocal quartet.

Hello all, I have read and enjoyed every word of this 26 page
thread over a period of several days. It’s fun to see so many
different writing styles and senses of humor.

I’ve only played classical guitar at weddings and funerals.
One time I had to set my instrument down and rush to the
altar to give away the bride! I’ve given away the bride 3
or 4 times. I’ve even married the bride a few times (different
brides of course).

Ok, here’s my wedding story: A few weeks ago I attended the
wedding of a niece in beautiful Lake Tahoe, Nevada (USA).
While we were all waiting in the chapel, a loop of several
typical solo piano weddings songs were streaming over the
P.A. system. So, to pass the time and to show off a little, I
began reciting the name of the song, the composer, and a
little history. I was on a pretty good roll because most of
songs were well known, like Pachelbel’s Canon in D, etc.

At one point Erroll Garner’s classic offering started playing.
One of my relatives jumped up and said, “Hey, I know that
one!”

I asked: “Oh yeah? What is it?”

He replied: It’s “Play Misty for Me” by Clint Eastwood.

It was probably sacrilegious for me to laugh so hard right
there in the chapel, but I just couldn’t help myself….

Ray

Excellent story, Ray! I suspect you'll think of a few more, given your experience.

I've not yet had to give away the bride, although I have had to give away my earrings when the bride panicked because she had forgotten her jewelry. She mailed them back to me.

Thanks Robin!

If anyone hits the lottery from the following advice, I fully expect my cut....

I practiced and taught Chinese Feng Shui for about 10 years. It is considered to be VERY GOOD LUCK for the bride to give you something.

Now, if the bride gave something to some of the groomsmen a few months before the wedding, that does not count.

I got a small flower from the bouquet. Guess what! I found this forum just a few weeks later. So, I guess it must be working.
:-)

In the 1990's when I was a locksmith, I had printed on my business cards: "Chastity Belts a Specialty". I'm not saying if I got any calls or not, but I will state emphatically that none of the calls were from husbands.

Ray

Maybe the belts were intended for the husbands.

That's some wedding present--- sure to make a real sensation at any bridal shower.

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Sounds like you're doing better, Greg--- I can just hear it in the way you're pushing the electrons; they seem to be jumping to do your bidding. I won't say that I can never get the electrons to dance, but they can be stubborn as an old mule that's dug in its hooves and sat down in the traces.

I'm going in for a knee replacement in two weeks, so I hope I fare as well as you and can keep my spirits up as you have done.

Hey--- that couple of days in the hospital would be a good time to read "Piano Girl" again... as long as I don't laugh so hard my staples come out.

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