Sunday morning - it rained. Surprise. Surprise.
We had to get up early to go to Summer church, which is at 9:30, at the Methodist church in Horseheads, where we've been attending. I volunteered to play the special music section this morning, and I wanted to get there earlier to practice on the piano. (What a beautiful Baldwin baby grand.) I had talked with the music director earlier in the summer to set the date up. I had called the church Monday to tell the program director what music I was playing, and how to spell my name correctly. Sorry, folks. It annoys me to see Jean instead of Jeanne. So I was all set.
I played God So Loved the World - a really beautiful piece arranged by Fred Bock, my favorite arranger. It doesn't bother me to play in church now. I've done it so many times. My philosophy has become: This is beautiful music and I want to share it with you, so you can enjoy it too, as I do.
However, I do feel a heightened awareness, which perhaps could be construed as nerves, but I don't think so. I was very aware of a mistake in the middle of the music that was a surprise because I'd never done that mistake before. Where did that come from??? I had played it perfectly when I practiced, before the service. There were other mistakes over the weeks that I had worked on, and worked them all out.
There is a phrase at the Corning Little League games... that the coaches used for their young players... that I find apropos: Shake it off. So now I have.
2 comments:
I remember one mistake I made while playing piano. I was at a Rotary Club meeting and playing a Chopin prelude.
Before the song, I remember saying, "I played this song at church a while back, and afterwards a lady sent me a letter saying that the song was so beautiful it brought tears to her eyes. I hope it works as well for you."
Anyway, about a minute into the prelude, I made a mistake and completely lost my place and couldn't pick it back up and had to start over. (I was playing from memory.) That messed up my nerves, and my playing went downhill from there. In the end it was just awful.
However, afterwards, I did pull the best off-the-cuff quip I've ever made: I got up from the piano after finishing to polite applause, and said, "Well that piece may not have bought tears to your eyes, but it brought tears to my eyes."
Good one, Jil. That's why I always use music. Can't trust memory.
Good pic of your party, by the way on your blog.
Good to see you without a mustache. You look much younger.
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