AUDIO CHRISTMAS CARD 2010 INTRO
THIS 11TH EDITION OF THE MCCONACHIE AUDIO
CHRISTMAS CARD WILL,I THINK , ATTEST TO
THE FACT THAT I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED MUSIC AND ESPECIALLY CHRISTMAS MUSIC. WHEN I WAS A YOUNGSTER THERE WAS ALWAYS
MUSIC IN OUR HOUSE, PRIMARILY FROM THE BIG CROSLEY FLOOR MODEL RADIO ,APP 24
INCHES WIDE AND 3-1/2 FEET TALL IN OUR LIVING ROOM BUT ALSO FROM THE UPRIGHT
BARTON PLAYER PIANO (OUR OWN MUSIC MACHINE) WHICH WAS AGAINST ANOTHER WALL IN
THE SAME ROOM. IT WAS THE BARTON
THOUGH THAT DETERMINED THAT PIANO MUSIC WOULD CONTINUE TO THIS DAY TO BE MY
MUSIC OF CHOICE.
FROM THE TIME THAT
I COULD REASON, I WAS IMPRESSED THAT MUSIC WOULD POUR FORTH FROM THE MACHINE
WHEN SOMEONE SAT DOWN AND MASSAGED THE KEYS WITH THEIR FINGERS. BUT I BECAME ENTRANCED WHEN I LATER LEARNED
THAT THE SAME MUSIC COULD BE PRODUCED BY JUST INSERTING A ROLL OF PAPER WITH
HOLES IN IT ONTO SOME HOLDERS AND THEN
PUSHING TWO PEDALS TO MAKE IT MOVE.
FROM THAT POINT ON,SINCE I HADN’T TAKEN ANY LESSONS, I COULD NOT WAIT
UNTIL MY LEGS WERE LONG ENOUGH TO REACH THE PEDALS. THAT DAY ARRIVED EVENTUALLY
BUT I SOON DISCOVERED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO ALSO GRIP THE UNDERSIDE OF THE
KEYBOARD FOR THE NECESSARY PURCHASE TO BE ABLE TO PUSH THE PEDALS SOLIDLY
ENOUGH TO MAKE THE ROLLS PLAY SMOOTHLY. HAVING
MASTERED THE TECHNIQUE I WAS NOW READY FOR MY DEBUT AND SO IT WAS THAT I
CAME OUT ON CHRISTMAS DAY 1947 , I WAS
6-1/2 YEARS OLD. BY COINIDENCE THAT CHRISTMAS WAS ALSO THE FIRST TIME THAT I
WAS PERMITTED TO HELP MY FATHER SELECT AND BRING HOME OUR CHRISTMAS TREE FROM
CHARLES FLORISTS ON DEVONSHIRE ROAD.
MY EARLIEST MEMORIES WERE THAT CHRISTMAS WAS ALWAYS A BIG
DEAL AROUND OUR HOUSE. LISTENING TO EITHER CBC OR CJAD—I CAN’T REMEMBER
WHICH—FOR THE TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO CHRISTMAS--
FOR SANTA TO READ OUR NAME ON THE RADIO INDICATING THAT OUR LETTER HAD
ARRIVED AT THE NORTH POLE. THE OBLIGATORY TRIP INTO MONTREAL FOR THE
EATONS SANTA CLAUS PARADE AND LUNCH AT
MURRAYS RESTAURANT NEXT DOOR AFTER THE PARADE. THE CROWDS WERE GENERALLY TOO
BIG TO WAIT FOR A SITTING WITH THE BIG GUY AND THEN THE MINIATURE TRAIN
RIDE WHICH WAS IN PLACE AND THAT PART OF
OUR RITUAL WOULD TAKE PLACE ON ANOTHER DAY. THEN THERE WAS THE DECORATING OF
THE HOUSE----- OUTSIDE LIGHTS ON THE APPLE TREE ALONGSIDE THE DRIVEWAY, LIGHTS
IN THE WINDOWS OF THE FRONT PORCH AND THE REST OF THE NECESSARIES
INSIDE,TRIMMING THE TREE, BAKING, WRAPPING GIFTS IN SECRET AND THEN HIDING THEM
, BUT 1947 WAS SPECIAL.WORLD WAR TWO HAD BEEN OVER FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, THE
ECONOMY WAS BOOMING AND MOST OF THE RATIONING OF FOODSTUFFS HAD BEEN LIFTED.
BECAUSE MY DAD WAS
THE FIRST OF EITHER SIDE OF THE FAMILY TO OWN A HOUSE WE WERE THE DESIGNATED
HOST FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER,AND AS MANY OF THE RELATIVES THAT COULD MAKE IT, TOOK
THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES ACROSS VICTORIA BRIDGE TO OUR HOUSE. AFTER THE GUESTS
WERE OFFERED THEIR BEVERAGE OF CHOICE THEY WERE USHERED INTO THE LIVING ROOM
AND IT WAS THERE THAT I DEMONSTRATED MY
VIRTUOSITY ON THE PEDALS BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER DINNER. I HAD A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE.
THE ONLY COMPETITION BEING THE RADIO,WHICH WAS TURNED OFF. I WAS IN MY GLORY .
THAT WAS MY 15 MINUTES OF FAME BECAUSE NEXT YEAR BROTHER JIM WAS BY THEN OLD
ENOUGH AND COMPETENT ENOUGH TO TAKE HIS TURN ON THE BENCH. I WILL NEVER FORGET
THOUGH HOW GOOD IT FELT TO BE THE FAMILY MAESTRO FOR THAT ONE SPECIAL CHRISTMAS
AND THAT EVENT CEMENTED MY LOVE FOR THE PIANO AND PIANO MUSIC.
WHEN I WAS IN WEREDALE IF MY SCHEDULE ALLOWED I WOULD
HEAD UP TO MY BEDROOM TO LISTEN TO “PIANORAMA” A FULL 15 MINUTES OF STRICTLY
PIANO MUSIC FIVE NIGHTS A WEEK ON RADIO STATION CKVL FROM VERDUN— WHEN I BEGAN
WORKING FULL TIME AFTER HIGH SCHOOL MY FIRST BIG TIME DATE WAS TO GO TO THE
STORK CLUB IN MONTREAL ON GUY ST JUST NORTH OF ST CATHERINE WHERE CHARLEY
KITTSON , A SUAVE DEBONAIR VIRTUOSO ON
THE KEYS HELD COURT OVER THE DANCE FLOOR 7 DAYS A WEEK. LATER, ON MY MANY
BUSINESS TRIPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY I INVARIABLY SOUGHT OUT THE LOCAL PIANO BAR
FOR SOME QUIET LISTENING AFTER A BUSY DAY.
AS DIRECTOR OF MARKETING FOR THE ASSOCIATION THAT I SPENT
28 YEARS WITH, ONE OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES
WAS TO ARRANGE AND HOST VARIOUS RECEPTIONS AND HOSPITALITY SUITES AND I
EXERCISED MY DISCRETION TO ENSURE THAT A
PIANIST WAS ALWAYS ON SITE AS A BACKGROUNDER
OR THE CENTRE OF ATTENTION DEPENDENT ON THE FUNCTION. I REGRET NOT
FOLLOWING THROUGH ON THE LESSONS THAT I BEGAN IN MY EARLY FORTIES BUT THANKS TO
VINYL ALBUMS, CASSETTES AND CD’S I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INDULGE MY PASSION WHERE AND WHEN CONVENIENT.
A PASSION WHICH ALLOWED ME TO CULTIVATE A VERY SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LATE JOHN ARPIN,PIANIST AND COMPOSER PAR
EXCELLENCE WHO I WROTE ABOUT IN THE INTRO TO THE 2007 AUDIO CARD THREE YEARS AGO WHEN HE PASSED AWAY+-.FINALLY
AS IN MY YOUTH OUR CURRENT HOUSE HAS A PIANO. NOT A PLAYER PIANO BUT DIANE’S
GRANDFATHER’S UPRIGHT HEINTZMAN WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 90-100YEARS OLD AND
AFTER A MAJOR REFIT SIX YEARS AGO SOUNDS AS GOOD AS IT MUST HAVE WHEN IT WAS
BUILT. A TRIBUTE TO REAL CRAFTMANSHIP .
AND SO AS I HAVE DONE FOR MANY CHRISTMASES I WILL SIT QUIETLY
ONE NIGHT AND LISTEN TO ARPINS CHRISTMAS ALBUM AND REVEL AT HIS MUSICIANSHIP.
IN KEEPING WITH THE THEME OF THIS YEARS INTRO I TRUST YOU
WILL APPRECIATE THE INDULGENCE OF A
PASSION THAT EMBRACED A YOUNG BOY SOME SIXTY ODD YEARS AGO AND HAS HELD HIM IN
ITS THRALL SINCE THEN, AND I WILL INCLUDE A LITTLE MORE PIANO MUSIC THAN I
USUALLY DO IN THIS YEARS AUDIO CARD.
AND SO FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS I WISH YOU MERRY CHRISTMAS,MERRY CHRISTMAS
,MERRY CHRISTMAS AND MAY YOUR HOLIDAY EXPERIENCES BE THE WHOLE EIGHT OCTAVES .
AUDIO CHRISTMAS CARD 2010 INTRO
THIS 11TH EDITION OF THE MCCONACHIE AUDIO
CHRISTMAS CARD WILL,I THINK , ATTEST TO
THE FACT THAT I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED MUSIC AND ESPECIALLY CHRISTMAS MUSIC. WHEN I WAS A YOUNGSTER THERE WAS ALWAYS
MUSIC IN OUR HOUSE, PRIMARILY FROM THE BIG CROSLEY FLOOR MODEL RADIO ,APP 24
INCHES WIDE AND 3-1/2 FEET TALL IN OUR LIVING ROOM BUT ALSO FROM THE UPRIGHT
BARTON PLAYER PIANO (OUR OWN MUSIC MACHINE) WHICH WAS AGAINST ANOTHER WALL IN
THE SAME ROOM. IT WAS THE BARTON
THOUGH THAT DETERMINED THAT PIANO MUSIC WOULD CONTINUE TO THIS DAY TO BE MY
MUSIC OF CHOICE.
FROM THE TIME THAT
I COULD REASON, I WAS IMPRESSED THAT MUSIC WOULD POUR FORTH FROM THE MACHINE
WHEN SOMEONE SAT DOWN AND MASSAGED THE KEYS WITH THEIR FINGERS. BUT I BECAME ENTRANCED WHEN I LATER LEARNED
THAT THE SAME MUSIC COULD BE PRODUCED BY JUST INSERTING A ROLL OF PAPER WITH
HOLES IN IT ONTO SOME HOLDERS AND THEN
PUSHING TWO PEDALS TO MAKE IT MOVE.
FROM THAT POINT ON,SINCE I HADN’T TAKEN ANY LESSONS, I COULD NOT WAIT
UNTIL MY LEGS WERE LONG ENOUGH TO REACH THE PEDALS. THAT DAY ARRIVED EVENTUALLY
BUT I SOON DISCOVERED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO ALSO GRIP THE UNDERSIDE OF THE
KEYBOARD FOR THE NECESSARY PURCHASE TO BE ABLE TO PUSH THE PEDALS SOLIDLY
ENOUGH TO MAKE THE ROLLS PLAY SMOOTHLY. HAVING
MASTERED THE TECHNIQUE I WAS NOW READY FOR MY DEBUT AND SO IT WAS THAT I
CAME OUT ON CHRISTMAS DAY 1947 , I WAS
6-1/2 YEARS OLD. BY COINIDENCE THAT CHRISTMAS WAS ALSO THE FIRST TIME THAT I
WAS PERMITTED TO HELP MY FATHER SELECT AND BRING HOME OUR CHRISTMAS TREE FROM
CHARLES FLORISTS ON DEVONSHIRE ROAD.
MY EARLIEST MEMORIES WERE THAT CHRISTMAS WAS ALWAYS A BIG
DEAL AROUND OUR HOUSE. LISTENING TO EITHER CBC OR CJAD—I CAN’T REMEMBER
WHICH—FOR THE TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO CHRISTMAS--
FOR SANTA TO READ OUR NAME ON THE RADIO INDICATING THAT OUR LETTER HAD
ARRIVED AT THE NORTH POLE. THE OBLIGATORY TRIP INTO MONTREAL FOR THE
EATONS SANTA CLAUS PARADE AND LUNCH AT
MURRAYS RESTAURANT NEXT DOOR AFTER THE PARADE. THE CROWDS WERE GENERALLY TOO
BIG TO WAIT FOR A SITTING WITH THE BIG GUY AND THEN THE MINIATURE TRAIN
RIDE WHICH WAS IN PLACE AND THAT PART OF
OUR RITUAL WOULD TAKE PLACE ON ANOTHER DAY. THEN THERE WAS THE DECORATING OF
THE HOUSE----- OUTSIDE LIGHTS ON THE APPLE TREE ALONGSIDE THE DRIVEWAY, LIGHTS
IN THE WINDOWS OF THE FRONT PORCH AND THE REST OF THE NECESSARIES
INSIDE,TRIMMING THE TREE, BAKING, WRAPPING GIFTS IN SECRET AND THEN HIDING THEM
, BUT 1947 WAS SPECIAL.WORLD WAR TWO HAD BEEN OVER FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, THE
ECONOMY WAS BOOMING AND MOST OF THE RATIONING OF FOODSTUFFS HAD BEEN LIFTED.
BECAUSE MY DAD WAS
THE FIRST OF EITHER SIDE OF THE FAMILY TO OWN A HOUSE WE WERE THE DESIGNATED
HOST FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER,AND AS MANY OF THE RELATIVES THAT COULD MAKE IT, TOOK
THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES ACROSS VICTORIA BRIDGE TO OUR HOUSE. AFTER THE GUESTS
WERE OFFERED THEIR BEVERAGE OF CHOICE THEY WERE USHERED INTO THE LIVING ROOM
AND IT WAS THERE THAT I DEMONSTRATED MY
VIRTUOSITY ON THE PEDALS BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER DINNER. I HAD A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE.
THE ONLY COMPETITION BEING THE RADIO,WHICH WAS TURNED OFF. I WAS IN MY GLORY .
THAT WAS MY 15 MINUTES OF FAME BECAUSE NEXT YEAR BROTHER JIM WAS BY THEN OLD
ENOUGH AND COMPETENT ENOUGH TO TAKE HIS TURN ON THE BENCH. I WILL NEVER FORGET
THOUGH HOW GOOD IT FELT TO BE THE FAMILY MAESTRO FOR THAT ONE SPECIAL CHRISTMAS
AND THAT EVENT CEMENTED MY LOVE FOR THE PIANO AND PIANO MUSIC.
WHEN I WAS IN WEREDALE IF MY SCHEDULE ALLOWED I WOULD
HEAD UP TO MY BEDROOM TO LISTEN TO “PIANORAMA” A FULL 15 MINUTES OF STRICTLY
PIANO MUSIC FIVE NIGHTS A WEEK ON RADIO STATION CKVL FROM VERDUN— WHEN I BEGAN
WORKING FULL TIME AFTER HIGH SCHOOL MY FIRST BIG TIME DATE WAS TO GO TO THE
STORK CLUB IN MONTREAL ON GUY ST JUST NORTH OF ST CATHERINE WHERE CHARLEY
KITTSON , A SUAVE DEBONAIR VIRTUOSO ON
THE KEYS HELD COURT OVER THE DANCE FLOOR 7 DAYS A WEEK. LATER, ON MY MANY
BUSINESS TRIPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY I INVARIABLY SOUGHT OUT THE LOCAL PIANO BAR
FOR SOME QUIET LISTENING AFTER A BUSY DAY.
AS DIRECTOR OF MARKETING FOR THE ASSOCIATION THAT I SPENT
28 YEARS WITH, ONE OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES
WAS TO ARRANGE AND HOST VARIOUS RECEPTIONS AND HOSPITALITY SUITES AND I
EXERCISED MY DISCRETION TO ENSURE THAT A
PIANIST WAS ALWAYS ON SITE AS A BACKGROUNDER
OR THE CENTRE OF ATTENTION DEPENDENT ON THE FUNCTION. I REGRET NOT
FOLLOWING THROUGH ON THE LESSONS THAT I BEGAN IN MY EARLY FORTIES BUT THANKS TO
VINYL ALBUMS, CASSETTES AND CD’S I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INDULGE MY PASSION WHERE AND WHEN CONVENIENT.
A PASSION WHICH ALLOWED ME TO CULTIVATE A VERY SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LATE JOHN ARPIN,PIANIST AND COMPOSER PAR
EXCELLENCE WHO I WROTE ABOUT IN THE INTRO TO THE 2007 AUDIO CARD THREE YEARS AGO WHEN HE PASSED AWAY+-.FINALLY
AS IN MY YOUTH OUR CURRENT HOUSE HAS A PIANO. NOT A PLAYER PIANO BUT DIANE’S
GRANDFATHER’S UPRIGHT HEINTZMAN WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 90-100YEARS OLD AND
AFTER A MAJOR REFIT SIX YEARS AGO SOUNDS AS GOOD AS IT MUST HAVE WHEN IT WAS
BUILT. A TRIBUTE TO REAL CRAFTMANSHIP .
AND SO AS I HAVE DONE FOR MANY CHRISTMASES I WILL SIT QUIETLY
ONE NIGHT AND LISTEN TO ARPINS CHRISTMAS ALBUM AND REVEL AT HIS MUSICIANSHIP.
IN KEEPING WITH THE THEME OF THIS YEARS INTRO I TRUST YOU
WILL APPRECIATE THE INDULGENCE OF A
PASSION THAT EMBRACED A YOUNG BOY SOME SIXTY ODD YEARS AGO AND HAS HELD HIM IN
ITS THRALL SINCE THEN, AND I WILL INCLUDE A LITTLE MORE PIANO MUSIC THAN I
USUALLY DO IN THIS YEARS AUDIO CARD.
AND SO FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS I WISH YOU MERRY CHRISTMAS,MERRY CHRISTMAS
,MERRY CHRISTMAS AND MAY YOUR HOLIDAY EXPERIENCES BE THE WHOLE EIGHT OCTAVES .
AUDIO CHRISTMAS CARD 2010 INTRO
THIS 11TH EDITION OF THE MCCONACHIE AUDIO
CHRISTMAS CARD WILL,I THINK , ATTEST TO
THE FACT THAT I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED MUSIC AND ESPECIALLY CHRISTMAS MUSIC. WHEN I WAS A YOUNGSTER THERE WAS ALWAYS
MUSIC IN OUR HOUSE, PRIMARILY FROM THE BIG CROSLEY FLOOR MODEL RADIO ,APP 24
INCHES WIDE AND 3-1/2 FEET TALL IN OUR LIVING ROOM BUT ALSO FROM THE UPRIGHT
BARTON PLAYER PIANO (OUR OWN MUSIC MACHINE) WHICH WAS AGAINST ANOTHER WALL IN
THE SAME ROOM. IT WAS THE BARTON
THOUGH THAT DETERMINED THAT PIANO MUSIC WOULD CONTINUE TO THIS DAY TO BE MY
MUSIC OF CHOICE.
FROM THE TIME THAT
I COULD REASON, I WAS IMPRESSED THAT MUSIC WOULD POUR FORTH FROM THE MACHINE
WHEN SOMEONE SAT DOWN AND MASSAGED THE KEYS WITH THEIR FINGERS. BUT I BECAME ENTRANCED WHEN I LATER LEARNED
THAT THE SAME MUSIC COULD BE PRODUCED BY JUST INSERTING A ROLL OF PAPER WITH
HOLES IN IT ONTO SOME HOLDERS AND THEN
PUSHING TWO PEDALS TO MAKE IT MOVE.
FROM THAT POINT ON,SINCE I HADN’T TAKEN ANY LESSONS, I COULD NOT WAIT
UNTIL MY LEGS WERE LONG ENOUGH TO REACH THE PEDALS. THAT DAY ARRIVED EVENTUALLY
BUT I SOON DISCOVERED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO ALSO GRIP THE UNDERSIDE OF THE
KEYBOARD FOR THE NECESSARY PURCHASE TO BE ABLE TO PUSH THE PEDALS SOLIDLY
ENOUGH TO MAKE THE ROLLS PLAY SMOOTHLY. HAVING
MASTERED THE TECHNIQUE I WAS NOW READY FOR MY DEBUT AND SO IT WAS THAT I
CAME OUT ON CHRISTMAS DAY 1947 , I WAS
6-1/2 YEARS OLD. BY COINIDENCE THAT CHRISTMAS WAS ALSO THE FIRST TIME THAT I
WAS PERMITTED TO HELP MY FATHER SELECT AND BRING HOME OUR CHRISTMAS TREE FROM
CHARLES FLORISTS ON DEVONSHIRE ROAD.
MY EARLIEST MEMORIES WERE THAT CHRISTMAS WAS ALWAYS A BIG
DEAL AROUND OUR HOUSE. LISTENING TO EITHER CBC OR CJAD—I CAN’T REMEMBER
WHICH—FOR THE TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO CHRISTMAS--
FOR SANTA TO READ OUR NAME ON THE RADIO INDICATING THAT OUR LETTER HAD
ARRIVED AT THE NORTH POLE. THE OBLIGATORY TRIP INTO MONTREAL FOR THE
EATONS SANTA CLAUS PARADE AND LUNCH AT
MURRAYS RESTAURANT NEXT DOOR AFTER THE PARADE. THE CROWDS WERE GENERALLY TOO
BIG TO WAIT FOR A SITTING WITH THE BIG GUY AND THEN THE MINIATURE TRAIN
RIDE WHICH WAS IN PLACE AND THAT PART OF
OUR RITUAL WOULD TAKE PLACE ON ANOTHER DAY. THEN THERE WAS THE DECORATING OF
THE HOUSE----- OUTSIDE LIGHTS ON THE APPLE TREE ALONGSIDE THE DRIVEWAY, LIGHTS
IN THE WINDOWS OF THE FRONT PORCH AND THE REST OF THE NECESSARIES
INSIDE,TRIMMING THE TREE, BAKING, WRAPPING GIFTS IN SECRET AND THEN HIDING THEM
, BUT 1947 WAS SPECIAL.WORLD WAR TWO HAD BEEN OVER FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, THE
ECONOMY WAS BOOMING AND MOST OF THE RATIONING OF FOODSTUFFS HAD BEEN LIFTED.
BECAUSE MY DAD WAS
THE FIRST OF EITHER SIDE OF THE FAMILY TO OWN A HOUSE WE WERE THE DESIGNATED
HOST FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER,AND AS MANY OF THE RELATIVES THAT COULD MAKE IT, TOOK
THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES ACROSS VICTORIA BRIDGE TO OUR HOUSE. AFTER THE GUESTS
WERE OFFERED THEIR BEVERAGE OF CHOICE THEY WERE USHERED INTO THE LIVING ROOM
AND IT WAS THERE THAT I DEMONSTRATED MY
VIRTUOSITY ON THE PEDALS BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER DINNER. I HAD A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE.
THE ONLY COMPETITION BEING THE RADIO,WHICH WAS TURNED OFF. I WAS IN MY GLORY .
THAT WAS MY 15 MINUTES OF FAME BECAUSE NEXT YEAR BROTHER JIM WAS BY THEN OLD
ENOUGH AND COMPETENT ENOUGH TO TAKE HIS TURN ON THE BENCH. I WILL NEVER FORGET
THOUGH HOW GOOD IT FELT TO BE THE FAMILY MAESTRO FOR THAT ONE SPECIAL CHRISTMAS
AND THAT EVENT CEMENTED MY LOVE FOR THE PIANO AND PIANO MUSIC.
WHEN I WAS IN WEREDALE IF MY SCHEDULE ALLOWED I WOULD
HEAD UP TO MY BEDROOM TO LISTEN TO “PIANORAMA” A FULL 15 MINUTES OF STRICTLY
PIANO MUSIC FIVE NIGHTS A WEEK ON RADIO STATION CKVL FROM VERDUN— WHEN I BEGAN
WORKING FULL TIME AFTER HIGH SCHOOL MY FIRST BIG TIME DATE WAS TO GO TO THE
STORK CLUB IN MONTREAL ON GUY ST JUST NORTH OF ST CATHERINE WHERE CHARLEY
KITTSON , A SUAVE DEBONAIR VIRTUOSO ON
THE KEYS HELD COURT OVER THE DANCE FLOOR 7 DAYS A WEEK. LATER, ON MY MANY
BUSINESS TRIPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY I INVARIABLY SOUGHT OUT THE LOCAL PIANO BAR
FOR SOME QUIET LISTENING AFTER A BUSY DAY.
AS DIRECTOR OF MARKETING FOR THE ASSOCIATION THAT I SPENT
28 YEARS WITH, ONE OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES
WAS TO ARRANGE AND HOST VARIOUS RECEPTIONS AND HOSPITALITY SUITES AND I
EXERCISED MY DISCRETION TO ENSURE THAT A
PIANIST WAS ALWAYS ON SITE AS A BACKGROUNDER
OR THE CENTRE OF ATTENTION DEPENDENT ON THE FUNCTION. I REGRET NOT
FOLLOWING THROUGH ON THE LESSONS THAT I BEGAN IN MY EARLY FORTIES BUT THANKS TO
VINYL ALBUMS, CASSETTES AND CD’S I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INDULGE MY PASSION WHERE AND WHEN CONVENIENT.
A PASSION WHICH ALLOWED ME TO CULTIVATE A VERY SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LATE JOHN ARPIN,PIANIST AND COMPOSER PAR
EXCELLENCE WHO I WROTE ABOUT IN THE INTRO TO THE 2007 AUDIO CARD THREE YEARS AGO WHEN HE PASSED AWAY+-.FINALLY
AS IN MY YOUTH OUR CURRENT HOUSE HAS A PIANO. NOT A PLAYER PIANO BUT DIANE’S
GRANDFATHER’S UPRIGHT HEINTZMAN WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 90-100YEARS OLD AND
AFTER A MAJOR REFIT SIX YEARS AGO SOUNDS AS GOOD AS IT MUST HAVE WHEN IT WAS
BUILT. A TRIBUTE TO REAL CRAFTMANSHIP .
AND SO AS I HAVE DONE FOR MANY CHRISTMASES I WILL SIT QUIETLY
ONE NIGHT AND LISTEN TO ARPINS CHRISTMAS ALBUM AND REVEL AT HIS MUSICIANSHIP.
IN KEEPING WITH THE THEME OF THIS YEARS INTRO I TRUST YOU
WILL APPRECIATE THE INDULGENCE OF A
PASSION THAT EMBRACED A YOUNG BOY SOME SIXTY ODD YEARS AGO AND HAS HELD HIM IN
ITS THRALL SINCE THEN, AND I WILL INCLUDE A LITTLE MORE PIANO MUSIC THAN I
USUALLY DO IN THIS YEARS AUDIO CARD.
AND SO FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS I WISH YOU MERRY CHRISTMAS,MERRY CHRISTMAS
,MERRY CHRISTMAS AND MAY YOUR HOLIDAY EXPERIENCES BE THE WHOLE EIGHT OCTAVES .
Thanks John McC
No comments:
Post a Comment