I am going to make you work out the title yourselves,
I knew they were going to give a Chopin Recital on our tiny rouelle, Del Catet, as part of the local arts festival.
They arrived three days ago and created a little concrete plinth for the piano.
(things are not done by halves here)
I was watching for the moment and was delighted when this van pulled up outside our house and disgourged a piano at the top of the Del Catet.
I knew I was going to be disappointed out of a “Right said Fred” moment when I saw that it was carried on a little caterpiller called a Pianoplan, this was possibly designed for getting Grand Pianos down stone rouelle steps.
The Pianist and I watched them as they rolled it down the steps.
“Tis the pity of God ” I said to him in French ” That you didn’t take up the concert flute or the trumpet ”
He laughed, insincerely.
No sooner was it upright in the bottom but he began to practice.
A truly magical moment as the walls captured and magnified the sound and threw it up into the Place del Eglise
Soon enough the crowds started to gather.
Eventually there was a sizeable audience.
The pianist, who was called Francois-Michel Rignol, played beautifully.
First the standard Chopin waltzes and then some absolutely marvellous sonatas.
Magic.
Comments
Aonghus
on July 25, 2010Looks great. Did you serve anything to the crowd. I know you were thinking of it previously.
Just planing on an iPad in Silicon Valley
Brendan
on July 26, 2010Bernard Cribbins, 1962, right? (said Fred)
Martin
on July 26, 2010Impeccable Brendan.
And here for nostalgia nerds are the original lyrics:
“Right,” said Fred, “Both of us together
One on each end and steady as we go.”
Tried to shift it, couldn’t even lift it
We was getting nowhere
And so we had a cuppa tea and
“Right,” said Fred, “Give a shout for Charlie.”
Up comes Charlie from the floor below.
After strainin’, heavin’ and complainin’
We was getting nowhere
And so we had a cuppa tea.
And Charlie had a think, and he thought we ought to take off all the handles
And the things wot held the candles.
But it did no good, well I never thought it would
“All right,” said Fred, “Have to take the feet off
To get them feet off wouldn’t take a mo.”
Took its feet off, even took the seat off
Should have got us somewhere but no!
So Fred said, “Let’s have a cuppa tea.”
And we said, “right-o.”
“Right,” said Fred, “Have to take the door off
Need more space to shift the so-and-so.”
Had bad twinges taking off the hinges
And it got us nowhere
And so we had a cuppa tea and
“Right,” said Fred, ” Have to take the wall down,
That there wall is gonna have to go.”
Took the wall down, even with it all down
We was getting nowhere
And so we had a cuppa tea.
And Charlie had a think, and he said, “Look, Fred,
I get a sort of feelin’
If we remove the ceilin’
With a rope or two we could drop the blighter through.”
“All right,” said Fred, climbing up a ladder
With his crowbar gave a mighty blow.
Was he in trouble, half a ton of rubble landed on the top of his dome.
So Charlie and me had another cuppa tea
And then we went home.
jedrzej
on July 28, 2010Amazing, beautiful idea. I would really like to be there.
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