Maggie and her friends make a movie. In Chapter 51, Maggie hosts the premiere of the film in the living room, and Uncle T is playing the Bechstein. When Maggie asks the name of the song, he tells her, “An Affair to Remember.” Later Mrs. Kavanagh sings, “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man.”
Alas, Mrs. Kavanagh doesn’t sing in this MP3.
I don’t have a Bechstein, but the older models are beautiful—of another time. Note the squared corner and the large ornate music rack, trademarks of Bechstein.
(If music doesn’t autoplay, click the triangle “Thingy”.)
I am playing “An Affair to Remember” on my Steinway Model M in 2018. The “good” pianist is Jim Gaden, playing “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man” on a concert grand Yamaha in 1972. Like Uncle T, we were not reading music; we were playing from the heart. Jim was my piano teacher when I was an adult. Had he lived longer perhaps I would be better? I haven’t played the piano since today.
In the book, many of Uncle T’s mannerisms, when playing, are Jim, through and through. Jim played a song, and when finished, he rested his right ankle on his left knee. He propped his right forearm on his right knee, fiddling with notes until a song fell under his fingers. His right foot went to the sustain pedal as he settled into the piece. Jim had a beautiful touch and used tasty voicings. I think of Jim almost every time I sit at the piano. I don’t do the leg gymnastics.
If you would like to experience what Maggie might hear drifting up the stairway, here is Jim playing “Sunday” in 1972. The arrangement style is stride piano with wonderful walking tenths.
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