Bonjour to the Piano

One of my very favorite songs is Beethoven's "Adieu to the Piano." It's beautiful and expressive, and not too hard, which is why I love to play it. :) I can just relax and play and not worry too much about the notes. It's a song I would come home and play after particularly hard days at school growing up, and after the first few notes, I'd feel my shoulders relax and my mind clear up and I could just . . . breathe.

I've often wondered about the history of this song and why Beethoven would be telling the piano, "Good-bye" or "To God." If anyone happens to know, tell me! :) It sounds like it must have been a heartbreaking time for poor old Beethoven.

Anyway, I am so happy to report that after years of being forced to say "Adieu" to the piano because I simply didn't have one, or the other girls in my dorm would hog the piano while waiting for their laundry to be done (which I admit I was one of if I ever happened upon an empty piano in the basement of DT, or if I ever happened to have four quarters to my name to actually do laundry), or that I've just let myself be too concerned and distracted by other things (many of them were important things, of course) I am again saying "Bonjour!" to my dear, dear piano.

I have recently been called as the Relief Society pianist and the Choir pianist. One day, a few weeks ago, I was sadly stumbling through a song that had once been "a cinch" to play when I stopped and thought, "I neeeed something to make me practice!" Later that evening, I got that "opportunity" in the form of these callings. I am so scared to be playing in front of people again, but these past few weeks of practicing have reawakened that love of music and that need I used to feel every single day to play the piano.

I have missed those days of walking through the door after school (after dropping off half the school because I drove a Suburban- so fun!), tossing my huge, heavy backpack in my room, sitting down at the piano and playing for hours. I would do my serious, not so pretty "piano face" I had no control over (you know the one!) and just . . . play.


So, I'm hoping to be able to recapture some of that simplicity and beauty that I've been desperately trying to fit in my life but haven't had the motivation, or downright fear of making a fool of myself if I didn't recapture it now! Only this time, I'll have one boy on my lap, one boy on the bench pounding away next to me, one boy jumping on the couch behind me, and one boy chewing on the leg of the piano bench- which is fine with me. Hopefully all these little guys will soon feel the need to join me in saying, "Bonjour! to the piano."