Pianos are miracles of musical engineering. Each one is a miniature wooden cathedral, filled with a modified harp which is played, somehow, by a system of levers and felt-tipped hammers.
But until recently, I didn’t fully appreciate how awesome they are.
I guess it’s because there was a piano in my childhood home; its presence seemed as normal and mundane as other furniture. I never paused to consider what an incredible, complex, downright beautiful instrument it was. I was probably more fascinated by the mechanics of the pull-out couch.
And once I started taking piano lessons, the piano became associated with strictly enforced practice sessions, by which point…well, that couch looked better every day.
But when you open up a piano and try to imagine what it takes to make one, it’s impressive. And then when you try to imagine making one 300+ years ago, before machine-run factories and computer rendering and lasers…well, you start to wonder what you’ve done with your life.
The piano is such a staple of such a wide range of musical styles that it’s almost as foundational to modern music as the human voice. Classical, jazz, blues, rock, pop…the piano is incredibly versatile despite having remained basically the same since its invention.
This track, by German-Swiss duo Grandbrothers, feels like an epic exploration of, or perhaps a tribute to, the piano.
What makes this a beautiful song:
1. The opening notes mimic an orchestra tuning up, as if in recognition of the piano’s ability to cover just about the same range of notes as a 90-piece symphony.
2. Much of the percussion is produced by tapping on the body of the piano; a reminder of the resonant space inside the instrument, often hidden from view.
3. While it has the feel of an electronic song, and there are some effects and digital trickery going on, there’s a gradual slow-down at the end to remind us that this is primarily an analogue, tactile track. Along with everything else it can do, the piano can be an EDM instrument too.
Recommended listening activity:
Taking a really, really close look at the gears of a bicycle.