Music in Goa is the gift that keeps on giving. Today we are at the Institute Menezes, as the famous pianist Karl Lutchmayer lectures and performs.
There were two things that I realised during the concert. The first was that composers are handicapped by the mechanical limitations of the piano hardware. They are also limited by the ten fingers, two feet, and dexterity of the human form. All fingers are not equal, and the two hands have trouble doing completely independent things. Orchestras have there limitations too, and two pianists in tandem do not make twenty fingers.
So it was today that I truly realised the importance of synthesisers. I always thought that synthesizers are about sounds that natural instruments cannot produce. But a simple MIDI file can produce music that a human pianist never can.
The second thing I realised was the importance of buying local. The younger one, who accompanied me today, was in the market for a (digital) piano last month. He cycled down to Furtados, Goa's go-to musical instruments store, and figured out what he needed. Thereafter, me being the miser that I am, proceeded to hunt all over the Internet and Gurgaon for a cheaper source. While deferring the decision to me, Kavin patiently pointed out that a local store means immediate delivery, checking the piece before purchase, and local support and warranty. We did eventually buy from Furtados, but only because the price difference outside was <5%.
What I hadn't factored in is that buying from a local store is like investing in the local music scene. Furtados sponsored this piano and the performance today. Kavin is there practically every week to buy Trinity papers and other things. And it has perhaps helped build quite a bit of the local music scene that we so enjoy.
There were two things that I realised during the concert. The first was that composers are handicapped by the mechanical limitations of the piano hardware. They are also limited by the ten fingers, two feet, and dexterity of the human form. All fingers are not equal, and the two hands have trouble doing completely independent things. Orchestras have there limitations too, and two pianists in tandem do not make twenty fingers.
So it was today that I truly realised the importance of synthesisers. I always thought that synthesizers are about sounds that natural instruments cannot produce. But a simple MIDI file can produce music that a human pianist never can.
The second thing I realised was the importance of buying local. The younger one, who accompanied me today, was in the market for a (digital) piano last month. He cycled down to Furtados, Goa's go-to musical instruments store, and figured out what he needed. Thereafter, me being the miser that I am, proceeded to hunt all over the Internet and Gurgaon for a cheaper source. While deferring the decision to me, Kavin patiently pointed out that a local store means immediate delivery, checking the piece before purchase, and local support and warranty. We did eventually buy from Furtados, but only because the price difference outside was <5%.
What I hadn't factored in is that buying from a local store is like investing in the local music scene. Furtados sponsored this piano and the performance today. Kavin is there practically every week to buy Trinity papers and other things. And it has perhaps helped build quite a bit of the local music scene that we so enjoy.