Valentine ham n Brahms

Thanks to Stan's ham, I had a Valentine's night soiree at mine last week.  I composed an ode ...

Left to right: Mary Johnny Me Alex Paul Marta Coral Stan

It is a little know fact
That ham is an aphrodisiac
And when cooked in tender, loving fashion
Will fire the smouldering flames of passion ....

Well, if you believe that .... but we had a good time.

 'Next time I come round,' said Johnny, 'you must play the piano.'  It is a little known fact that Johnny has encouraged me to pursue the piano with an energy that has turned into a passion.  In a conversation about developing the skill and craft of an artist, Johnny said, 'You have to do it, do it, do it - it's only by doing it that you develop depth.' Those words hit home I took them on and have done it, done it, done it!  Hours and hours of practice and I'm about to sit my Grade VIII.  I can hardly believe that I've reached this level - I'm so thrilled!  But I battle with nerves and playing in front of people is difficult, however, I'm making myself do it, so tonight's the night to play Brahms, I thought.





It's always been a bit of a puzzle to me, why Johnny, with such an open-minded view on the world can be so narrow minded about classical music.  So before I played it, I told him the story.
'It's about about an abandoned mother and child,' I said, ' - in Scotland ... she's bereft, distraught ....  and can you imagine an old German man writing this - from a poem - and he'd never been to Scotland, yet you can  hear the bagpipes ...'

I knew before I started that I had had one wine too many ... so, Liszting somewhat, the performance had to be abandoned - I should have known better.









It's just as well I didn't see the look on Johnny's face ....

Romas, photographer extraordinaire