Shouts From Down Under

Street Novelists?

Street Pianos

I'm not sure why, but the whole concept of pianos randomly sitting around in towns and cities all over the globe, cheers me up no end.
This seemingly hilarious, ridiculous, irrational and, lets say it, rebellious idea that must have started off somewhere, is a winner for freedom of expression by the masses. Yes, the great equaliser.

You see, music, notes, harmonics, tone, voice, composition, key changes, dynamics, emotion, ear, bass, treble - all these things can be brought and displayed to the general public, shoppers, passers by, tourists, city dwellers, homeless, criminals, addicts, politicians, you name it - by people of all walks of life, all ages, all creeds, all cultures and all tastes, all races, all backgrounds and all musical abilities.

Music is no respecter of persons.

Nobody can say "Oh hey, you aren't allowed to play the piano. Get off there! People like you have no right to learn music, or enjoy it's dulcet pleasure. Off with you homeless tramp!

No one can erect a sign approved by a committee bellowing out an order like;

GET AWAY FROM THAT GUITAR!! You aren't licensed to play music.

NO SINGING OR MUSICAL NOTES allowed in this mall.
All persons found to be dropping notes or reading sheet music, or playing any pianoforte, dulcimer, psaltery or harpsichord in this precinct shall be prosecuted and penalised to the maximum applicable under local bylaws which state that no XYZ%@$ person of ))&*((*& address is allowed to enjoy music.

No. It's not like that at all. Even in the height of wars, pianos and violins and all the other clanging, strumming, hammering, plucking noise making boxes were in full swing, banging away, crooning and generally cheering people up who felt the pain and sorrow of battle's casualties.

I very much like the idea that anyone (with clean hands you would hope) can go sit at any of these pianos, in any city etc, sit down and after a couple of seconds of thought, play a melody that will surely attract listeners immediately.

Paris


Boston...
http://youtu.be/1yS5MhaA2Vo

Kiev... (with a touch of vodka I would guess )
http://youtu.be/KeFiY1opqLk


And look whose waiting for a train, having a bash on a street piano. Valentina Lisista...



The more usual performing for Valentina...
http://youtu.be/uBpyjUd_8Qk

Well, to me, street pianos represent and symbolise everything that writing is all about. People, happy people (except when they rant in their blogs about bullies and stuff) who are expressing themselves, for free, together, regardless of ability.

That's novelists.

But I can't really see Street Novelists taking off as a fad or enjoyable pursuit, can you?

Would people crowd around a bloke, scribbling anecdotes in a notepad, sitting on a park bench in Brussels?

YouTube have videos of just another young woman in London, or Chicago, or Moscow, or Tokyo, or Beijing, or Ha noi, sitting typing on her laptop another chapter?

That's why we have such a site as WDC. It all happens here, and I suppose I shouldn't be so down on those who come out of nowhere and occasionally review or rate, without writing anything. Maybe they are like the tourists with cameras who listen for a while to the pianist and then drop a coin or two in the jar and go on their way. They never play a note, but still give input.

Our scrutineers of our skills, our cheerleaders, our fad-makers may never write a sentence. But they tell others about us.

That has to be a positive thing.

Clever street performer...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYRotILcfms&feature=player_detailpage

Sparky.