Richard Bell's Wild West Yorkshire nature diary

The Music Makers

buffetTuesday, 3rd April, 2007
musicTHE FAMILY PAINO; I made my first faltering attempts to play on this German instrument, a Hupfeld Solophonola. I’m still faltering now as a far as the piano is concerned. I haven’t played for years.

This piano been in the family for a long time and until the late 1950s it doubled as a pianola (player paino) but it’s moment of glory must surely have been in November 1972 when the pianist and mezzo-soprano, who were about to give a William Baines (1899-1922) memorial concert at Horbury School, went through the Baines songs they were about to perform, using the school’s Steinway.

The singer was Caroline Foster and pianist was Eric Parkin, a champion of British 20th century piano music.

These two sketches were made some time during last month at my mum’s and, as far as I remember, they’re Noodler’s ink, drawn with a Rotring ArtPen, so you can see that ink running into the watercolour wash isn’t always a problem.