Lovely piano redundant
Keyboard musical instruments have been a source of music since at least 300 years before the birth of Christ. Since then developments in both blown, air generated sound such as organs and strings being plucked or struck as in the harpsichord and piano have occurred.
With the birth of electronics and its ability to amplify and mimic almost any instrument the keyboard has become an essential member of any ensemble.
Until the introduction of electricity
the only way to make instruments louder was to increase their size with the consequential transportability problems. Around 300 years ago the piano was invented in Italy by Bartolomeo Cristofori which combined the louder sound and creativity needed to allow musicians to play to bigger audiences.
The piano became the only permanent musical instrument in many town and village halls across the world and in many homes, as the means of communal entrainment.
The wandering minstrel with their lyre or harp or, in later days guitar, were in some cases replaced by the great concert pianists or more humble accompanist, performing a piano concerto which was hitherto reserved for the top 1 per cent of society. Some communities formed their own musical appreciation societies and sponsored these great artists to entertain them in private musical evenings, providing a concert standard grand or baby grand piano for them to play on.
Arts Far North, some decades ago, bought a baby grand for this purpose to enable the best musicians to come to our town and to have the standard of instrument their talent deserved. It has been stored at the Te Ahu Centre for some years and is available for any pianist who wishes to practise upon it.
Times change and classical recitals no longer draw the support they once did, also the cost of bringing a top class pianist to our fair town is prohibitive.
Becoming a top class performer on the piano takes many years of backbreaking practice so it would be disrespectful to such a talent and to all their hard work unless the venue was packed to the rafters. Unfortunately we can not guarantee that, so our lovely piano is now redundant and will like so many of the dreams of our people, be on its way out as it will be up for sale.
Reg Payne
Kaitaia