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Post by keff on Jan 23, 2024 18:32:00 GMT
A public piano at St.Pancras is being prevented from being used because of public order issues. The most recent commotion took place at the weekend when some Chinese visitors surrounded the piano whilst it was being used for live stream posting on Youtube. They demanded that they shouldn't be filmed but didn't seem to understand they could achieve their aim by simply walking away. The chap who plays the piano doesn't help because he seems not to de-escalate the situation.
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Post by Zi on Jan 23, 2024 21:38:22 GMT
It's no good... this seems somewhat amusing to me. I guess there are so many puns.
Life was not so complex before youtube.
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Post by pavane on Jan 24, 2024 13:52:14 GMT
There is something of Plato's cave thingy about modern life and youtube (and friends) - the things generally seen in the world are shadows and their true form exists within their social media capture. I was at an aquarium a few years ago and there was a party of what I think were primary school children going around and every single one of them was photographing the tanks rather than looking at the fish.
Years ago, if you went to Uluru (Ayers Rock) you could just drive up to it and walk around. Then they put in a loop road around it and you couldn't drive up to it any more (which was a good thing). Now the loop road can't be used: you park in a big car park and walk to a viewing platform which has a newly installed wifi hotspot so you can upload your images onto your platform of choice without having to wait till you are back in your hotel. You can barely see the actual rock from the platform for people trying to poke you in the eye with their selfie sticks. I was walking away from it at sunset and there was a little group of people in front of me all fixated on their phones and the photos of themselves in front of the rock. I honestly felt like screaming at them: the real thing is just over there to the left, you can look at a tiny little photo of it any time, and you might never get another chance to see the real thing. Aargh!
Clearly, I'm getting old! I suppose it's up to people whether they look at something or photograph it. However, I have read (can't verify but it could be true) that the bazillions of photos and videos and other junk uploaded to computer storage uses more power - and creates more pollution - than the entire aviation industry. And I bet nobody ever looks at 99% of them.
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Post by keff on Jan 24, 2024 15:31:28 GMT
Looks like the piano is back in action today.
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Post by largissimo on Feb 2, 2024 21:40:44 GMT
I've never had the nerve to play a railway station piano. Doesn't help that I can't memorise the music, so I'd need to to have some in my luggage to casually place on the piano...
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Post by keff on Feb 3, 2024 11:57:53 GMT
I am not a memoriser either. However have been listening to The Analogues on Youtube for the last few nights which has resulted
in taking a book of simplified Beatles tunes out of storage. Most of them don't seem to transcribe well to solo piano but Penny Lane is an exception which I may memorise just in case I find a street piano although not sure I would try it in Manchester.
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Post by corenfa on Feb 4, 2024 10:06:11 GMT
Usually I play Bach. I suppose I have a few things from my diploma programme but those are a bit bombastic for a street piano
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Post by Zi on Feb 4, 2024 16:21:41 GMT
I admire anyone who can play in public! With or without music.
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Post by pavane on Feb 4, 2024 18:54:14 GMT
I admire anyone who can play! With or without music.
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Post by Zi on Feb 8, 2024 21:34:40 GMT
I admire anyone who can play! With or without music. I guess that is rather the final word!  |
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