TICKLING THE IVORIES
‘Cadillac of baby grands’ now at patrons’ fingertips after antique instrument spent decades in storage
Brad Anderson plays on a baby grand piano at the Central Public Library, which for decades sat unplayed in the library basement. It’s been polished, tuned and brought back to life — available to anyone who wants to play it in the main-floor lobby.
A gorgeous baby grand piano that for decades sat unplayed and covered up in the basement, has been polished, tuned and brought back to life — available to anyone who wants to play it in the main-floor lobby of Windsor’s central library.
And the public response has been enthralling, according to library staff, who say as soon as they made it available Monday morning, people “jumped on” the opportunity. Unexpected musical talent — from children to seniors, from regular patrons to homeless people — unveiled itself much like this mysterious instrument has been brought back into the light.
“It’s pretty incredible,” said manager of public service Adam Craig, describing both the piano’s beautiful sound and the impromptu performances. “I don’t think any of us expected it to take off like it has, and to be so well played.”
Almost as soon as it was made available Monday morning, a scruffily-dressed young man walked in, sat down and flawlessly performed Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
“The whole library stopped,” said library CEO Kitty Pope. “He played for a good hour. People who normally would just cross through the library all stopped to listen.”
The young man then pulled his hoody up over his head and left. Pope said people were all surprised and thrilled, and that sort of set the tone for the rest of the week. This is what a library should be about, Pope added.
“It’s a public library in the true sense of the word.”
Pope said the idea was to create a living room atmosphere in the library — a warm, welcoming setting.
“We thought, let’s just bring that baby grand up and see what it sounds like to have some music in the summer.”
No one’s sure where the piano — a Canadian-made Heintzman — came from or how old it is, though they suspect it’s about 100 years old. It’s been covered and unplayed in the basement for as long as anyone can remember, at least 30 or 40 years. Librarians are researching its history and hope to have more details next week.
Pope said when a tuner checked it out last week, he exclaimed: “Oh my gosh, this has a beautiful sound.” He called it the “Cadillac of baby grands,” and had it fully tuned in about an hour.
The piano’s keys are locked up so people can’t just start banging on them. But just ask a staff member if you want to play it, Pope said.
On Wednesday morning, a downtown street person, Brad Anderson, who plays regularly in the Salvation Army chapel, wandered into the library and immediately spied the “beautiful” baby grand. Then he saw the sign advising that it was available to play.
“I ran to the front desk: Can I play the piano? Can I play the piano?” He played it in the morning and returned again in the afternoon, enthralled by its sound.
“I’m so excited, I almost can’t start vibrating,” he told the Star’s Dax Melmer.
“I see the piano, big and bold and so beautiful,” he said. “Oh my gosh, that’s amazing.”
Craig said while it’s loud, the sound is not intrusive. He said there’s been no complaints that a library, traditionally a place for quiet study, is suddenly awash with music.
“There’s something about the sound of a well played instrument that people are able to tolerate.”
I’m so excited, I almost can’t start vibrating. I see the piano, big and bold and so beautiful. Oh my gosh, that’s amazing.