More on the Piano

I think in regard to the chapter “Girling at the Parlor Piano,” I neglected until our class discussion to truly appreciate the importance, or rather the value a piano was to a household. Aside from the possibility of a woman finding a husband as a result of her piano skills, music in the home was an extremely important part of what made it a home. It fell on the shoulders of these women to raise the mood of the entire house hold, when their fathers came home upset or tired, it was their job to try and uplift them. And it sounds as if for some, it was even more than a responsibility, but a duty.

I feel a little guilty that my immediate reaction was to dismiss this as some sexist stereotype that has no place in today’s society. Although I do wish I knew how to play the piano, I’m still glad it was never forced upon me by my parents. But I believe as I’m sure many people do, especially musicians, that music does have a very powerful and profound effect on people’s emotions. Whether it’s hearing the most beautiful aria sung at the Met or the uncanny way in which that perfect song always comes on the radio when you’re upset, people connect to music.

I think this is even further reflected in what was referred to in the chapter as “Romance and Sexuality,” even back then there was a sense of the power of music, and in this chapter it almost becomes the danger of music; one must be cautious not to get carried away by the music. I also appreciated the section on the piano as a “Companion and Confidant.” I found it slightly sad that a piano had to fill the role of companion and confidant, I’m not sure why, I just picture a very lonely young girl playing piano while everyone else is outside playing. But it also serves to further show how special a young lady’s relationship with her piano is, which probably also adds to the ‘romance and sexuality’ of playing the piano. It’s almost as if the piano became a vehicle which allowed for women to express and bare their souls, in public. There were just so many roles the piano filled in the Victorian Era, it really is fascinating.