mzawf.org

HER love of music was nurtured on a Steinway piano.

From the age of 14, Carol Gould devoted hours to crafting her talent at its keyboard, even composing rhapsodies especially for the classic instrument.

In fact, so strong was the bond between the teenager and her favourite piano that she vowed to one day return and buy it. Now, three decades after she first set eyes on the instrument, she has kept her promise.

But her love affair with the concert grand cost her dear, and was only reignited thanks to a remarkable stroke of good fortune.

Carol was a pupil at the prestigious St Mary's Music School in Edinburgh when she first played the piano in the city's Queen's Hall.

She said: 'It was this brand new Steinway Concert Grand, fresh out of the factory in Hamburg, which would need some playing in before it really sounded its best.
'I was a 14-year-old piano pupil who was bonkers about Steinways.'
The headmistress of St Mary's and the Queen's Hall janitor agreed that Carol could play 'the big piano' on quiet Sunday mornings.
'In 1979, I had the first of many sessions, just me and my three legged friend,' she said. 'We all referred affectionately to the piano as the 805, after its frame number.' And as their 'relationship' grew Carol, wrote three rhapsodies for the 805. Their greatest moment came in 1982 when, a year after winning the Edinburgh Competition Festival Concerto class, she played Brahms's 2nd Concerto.
'I vowed then that, one day when I'd saved up, I'd come back to the Queen's Hall and buy the 805,' she said. 'It is a vow I never forgot.' In 1983, Carol Gould, who was raised in Glasgow and Edinburgh, left to study at London's Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

Wow!

You have done an amazing job on the video in just 24 hours

We both really enjoyed your visit on Sunday and hope it will be the first of many - Carol has plans to do piano recitals in London and Edinburgh and you have just "volunteered" to come on the road with us as our chief presenter

Seriously - Thanks! - We are delighted with the article

Yeah! I'm up for being your 'Roadie' I'm glad you like the film. I learnt a lot while making it, and really enjoyed the personal recital.
I need to buy a microphone and use more light.
I'm trying to think of what to film next. Any ideas?

withnail8 wrote:I could well imagine C belting out Rachmaninov and likewise in the foyer of Symphony Hall here in Birmingham

There's a rumour I need to moderate! Much was made of the "Rachmaninov-in-the-hotel" story, and one would think that I was doing this on a regular basis. Well, it only happened once! We (the crew) were nightstopping in the Nuremberg hotel, back in about 2005, it was late and the hotel was very quiet. The other pilot saw the piano in the foyer and said: go on, give us a tune! (like they do, you know!) Well, the only thing I had at my fingertips just happened to be Rachmaninov's 3rd concerto! Most people would play chopsticks, but as I hadn't practised chopsticks and I had practised Rach 3, then Rach 3 it was. The first couple of pages (after the opening "easy" tune) would do, I thought. So I did that, the crew said bravo, we went to our rooms and that was it!

Another great post. Thanks Carol.
You must have a thousand stories to tell and I. for one, would love to hear them

Well done! It's a lovely piece and you played it brilliantly.
Encore ....

withnail8 wrote:
'to Carol G my new friend in Surrey'.

Thank-you, this is excellent. A good polished performance. You seemed totally unfazed by the camera! Usually we are always just that little bit (or sometimes extremely!) nervous if we know someone's watching, even if it's just a machine. Well done mate!

I am sure your friend Carol G in Surrey will like it too - we're in West Sussex

Now for your next task - play it in Symphony Hall, Birmingham