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My music ... ... The history |
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Last updated: 17.03.2006
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The begin I cannot
remember how long before it has been when I started to love the piano of my
grand parents. It has been when I was a little boy. Always if I visited my
grand parents I tried to play a little bit on the piano. I'm sure this sound
was horrible. My
mother could play the piano very good. One song I liked very much. The name
of this song is "Elfengesang" ("elves' canto"). It was
composed by Oskar Gassmann (surely unknown today). Always if I listened to
this song it gave me the creeps. Already in this time I knew that I would
like to be able to play the piano in the same way one day. Already
in this time I have had a little piano for children. It had only white keys
and to octaves. But it has been better than nothing. Later I got a little
bigger one which had some more tunes and also black keys. I'd
always like it to listen to the music. I often tried to play melodies I liked
on the piano. More and more I succeeded to do it. Because m father have had a
very good knowledge in harmonics and was able to explain excellent in
addition I also learned how to accompany the songs with the left hand. When I
came in the school I die wish t have a real piano more and more. "O
Jesus! How can it operate? How to get a piano in an new build house where 32
families are living in and besides this into the fourth floor? It's
impossible!" My parents did like my idea not at all. When I
have been in school in form one a teacher from the public music school was
visiting our class during a music lesson. He wanted to get us interested in
learning to play an instrument in his music school. Most of my class mates
which had been interested wanted to learn playing the violin or the flute. I
wanted anything other: I wanted to learn playing the piano like my parents
had also learned it many years ago. The piano lessons I didn't
gave up. I didn't stop to ask my parents about getting a chance to learn to
play the piano. And so it came that we went to the public music school one
day in order to inform us. The female piano teacher having been there was
looking at my fingers and said to my parents: "The fingers are much too
long. For playing the piano his fingers should be shorter. Why don't you let
your son learn to play the violin?" She did not have had the idea to ask
me what I want. I believe that the antipathy I felt for her came from both
sides. One thing was clear: The public music school was no possibility for me
o learn playing the piano. Giving
up? Nether! We went to ask the old piano teacher my father got his lessons
many years ago. He was giving private lessons having been about to times more
expensive than the lessons at the public music school. But he was a very
sympatical person. And in addition he wanted to give me lessons. Only one
question remained: "Do we really need a big piano? Or is it possible to
practice at the children's piano?" We received a clear answer: t the
children's piano the keys are smaller. Besides this it hasn't a pedal. In
order to learn playing the piano a real piano is needed. All
right, there was no other possibility. But there was another question: How to
get a real piano? Where is a place for the piano in our flat? Men a solution
can be found for all if you really want it. One day a very nice piano
produced by the company Thümer from Meißen was standing in my room. Before it
my room have had been small. After this it has been extraordinarily small.
But the most important thing has been that a piano was standing there.
Also today I'm still liking to play at my Thürmer-piano When I
came into form three in school I started my piano lessons using the legendary
study book "Klavierschule von Erika und Christa Holzweißig". At the
first time I was practising very intensive. I couldn't get enough. I was
happy about every song I could play. But some years after I playd all my
favourite songs I heard on the radio. It was very nice to do it. I'm sure it
has been a difficult time for my piano teacher. "How use are using your
fingers on the keys I'm afraid you can break them", he did often say. Fortunately
it never came so far. Nethertheless I went to my piano lessons till the end
of the 11th form. The self composed songs It
happened in 1978 when I fell in love for the first time. But she went to
another school and did feel that I had no chance. I wanted to tell it my
piano but I didn't know how to do it. It took me some years more to find out
it. It was
in 1981 my parents and I travelled o Bulgaria after my ceremony in which
teenagers are given adult social status (in German: Jugenweihe). In our
travelling group had been a very nice girl. She was so very nice and I
couldn't think about anything other than her the whole time there. But it was
difficult, hopeless... She travelled with her parents, I travelled with my
parents - a really bad situation. After the journey we went home. We have
spoken no word together. There was no chance that we'll meet each other once
more. I hoped to find her on one of these many pictures my father had taken.
She has been at no photography. But I didn't want to forget her. Something
must remain. But
suddenly, about one month later on a bicycle tour together with my father I
have had a melody in my head. This melody was absolutely according to this
that I felt in Bulgaria. The resulting song is a slow waltz, too long and a
really schmaltzy song. It was not so very difficult to write a suitable text
for this melody. But by the end I reached my aim. Today I can't remember how
she was looking. But I never forgot her and these feelings which I have had
in Bulgaria. Later I
composed many other songs. For all are interested to read a little sample
I've chosen a little collection of my texts in English and in German. Music as a profession? I have
often been asked why I'm not a professional musician. Of course, I have had
also this idea. But at the time when I had to chose my profession I felt that
the daily life and the routine would destroy the magic of the music. And so I
decided: The music is a very nice hobby.
And it should it be also in future! (But of course I can change my mind one
day...) |
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