I left and arrived through St Pancras yesterday (Saturday) and was struck
on arrival that all three pianos were being played, vigorously and
competently. In the morning, only one was in action, again being played
vigorously and competently. These gentlemen were all confident pianists,
apparently playing for pleasure, and without sheet music. And, yes, I've
seen many pianists in action in the undercroft, and they were all male
(and, btw, of the four, two were black and one East Asian).

I don't think they were buskers, but they seemed much too good to be just
casual passengers waiting for their Eurostars. Are London's professional
pianists now rehearsing in the grand undercroft? And where are the female
pianists? I'm sure London must also have plenty of gifted women pianists.

Sir Elton's recently-gifted Yamaha piano looks very smart and sounds good.
I wonder if he pays to keep it tuned? And, no, I won't make any olive oil
jokes. I think it was a great gesture of his, to pay for it and personally
launch it:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/vi...-station-video

This is so much better than bland, piped music, or even worse, advertising.

On 29/05/2016 01:19, Recliner wrote:
I left and arrived through St Pancras yesterday (Saturday) and was struck
on arrival that all three pianos were being played, vigorously and
competently. In the morning, only one was in action, again being played
vigorously and competently. These gentlemen were all confident pianists,
apparently playing for pleasure, and without sheet music. And, yes, I've
seen many pianists in action in the undercroft, and they were all male
(and, btw, of the four, two were black and one East Asian).

I don't think they were buskers, but they seemed much too good to be just
casual passengers waiting for their Eurostars. Are London's professional
pianists now rehearsing in the grand undercroft? And where are the female
pianists? I'm sure London must also have plenty of gifted women pianists.

Sir Elton's recently-gifted Yamaha piano looks very smart and sounds good.
I wonder if he pays to keep it tuned? And, no, I won't make any olive oil
jokes. I think it was a great gesture of his, to pay for it and personally
launch it:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/vi...-station-video

This is so much better than bland, piped music, or even worse, advertising.


There's a piano in our local shopping mall and there are often women
playing it so perhaps it's a London thing.

--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.

On 29/05/2016 08:11, Graeme Wall wrote:
On 29/05/2016 01:19, Recliner wrote:
This is so much better than bland, piped music, or even worse,
advertising.


There's a piano in our local shopping mall and there are often women
playing it so perhaps it's a London thing.


I agree it's so much better than piped music. I walk through St.Pancras
a few times a week (because of the stupid station design that forces a
long march from SPILL to the tube lines) at various times of the day and
night and find that all the pianos are in use nearly every time. There
are males and females playing, young and old, and all skin colours, and
also a great range of expertise: some very accomplished and a few rather
more like beginners. Even so, I can't recall a case in which the music
was painful to listen to, though one or two make me smile a little as
they struggle.

I too have wondered whether they were genuinely there and filling in
time while waiting for a long-distance train; I am beginning to suspect
that some are visiting St.Pancras just because it has pianos to play.
But nearly all seem to be playing from memory, very few bring music, as
far as I can see.

--
Clive Page

I left and arrived through St Pancras yesterday (Saturday) and was struck
on arrival that all three pianos were being played, vigorously and
competently. ...

Have there ever been pianos on trains in the UK as there have been in some
other countries?

On Sun, 29 May 2016 14:34:50 +0000 (UTC), John Levine
wrote:

I left and arrived through St Pancras yesterday (Saturday) and was struck
on arrival that all three pianos were being played, vigorously and
competently. ...

Have there ever been pianos on trains in the UK as there have been in some
other countries?

Is it time for the 12" pianist joke?

Graeme Wall wrote:
On 29/05/2016 01:19, Recliner wrote:
I left and arrived through St Pancras yesterday (Saturday) and was struck
on arrival that all three pianos were being played, vigorously and
competently. In the morning, only one was in action, again being played
vigorously and competently. These gentlemen were all confident pianists,
apparently playing for pleasure, and without sheet music. And, yes, I've
seen many pianists in action in the undercroft, and they were all male
(and, btw, of the four, two were black and one East Asian).

I don't think they were buskers, but they seemed much too good to be just
casual passengers waiting for their Eurostars. Are London's professional
pianists now rehearsing in the grand undercroft? And where are the female
pianists? I'm sure London must also have plenty of gifted women pianists.

Sir Elton's recently-gifted Yamaha piano looks very smart and sounds good.
I wonder if he pays to keep it tuned? And, no, I won't make any olive oil
jokes. I think it was a great gesture of his, to pay for it and personally
launch it:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/vi...-station-video

This is so much better than bland, piped music, or even worse, advertising.


There's a piano in our local shopping mall and there are often women
playing it so perhaps it's a London thing.

I happened to be passing through Gare de Lyon in Paris this afternoon where
there is a similar piano that was being heartily played. I didn't make a
note of the gender or ethnicity of the pianist, though.

Robin

On Sunday, 29 May 2016 21:12:31 UTC+1, bob wrote:

I happened to be passing through Gare de Lyon in Paris this afternoon where
there is a similar piano that was being heartily played. I didn't make a
note of the gender or ethnicity of the pianist, though.

Yes, I've seen them all over France. They also have those charging points for phones which seem to be powered by the user pedalling a stationary bicycle. Good idea.

On 29-May-16 08:11, Graeme Wall wrote:

snip

There's a piano in our local shopping mall and there are often women
playing it so perhaps it's a London thing.


Not a London thing. Bolton indoor market has one and one has just
arrived at Manchester Victoria.

KW

I played the piano at Gare De Lyon last year and enjoyed it so much I nearly missed my train to Barcelona!
I had played the one at St Pancras early that day before getting the Eurostar.
Glad the St Pancras pianos are now being looked after and used.

John

On 30/05/2016 11:46, Ken Ward wrote:
On 29-May-16 08:11, Graeme Wall wrote:

snip

There's a piano in our local shopping mall and there are often women
playing it so perhaps it's a London thing.


Not a London thing. Bolton indoor market has one and one has just
arrived at Manchester Victoria.


The "London thing" was the male only performers.


--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.