I was a Harper for 5 years until I was 10. Harp teachers where as rare as hen's teeth and I was quickly out growing my ballad harp and would soon leave school, whose traditional harp I had I permanent loan and would have to give it back, so my career as an Irish Harper soon came to an end. I still have my very first harp, a small ballad harp, not 3.5 foot tall. I hope some day my own kids will learn to play on it.
From the recorder I quickly progressed onto the flute. This I played for Royalty, Political Dignitaries and in Classical Concerts for almost 10 years, all throughout my you
th. As my exams beckoned, at 17 I lay down my flute and packed the navy blue leather case into a press. The flute traveled the world with me but never saw the light of day again.Over Christmas my father asked if I still even had the flute and it got me to thinking as to where it was. Today I went in search of it and found it buried at the back of the wardrobe underneath boxes and behind old video camera cases. I took it down and gingerly opened the case. It twinkled back at me in perfect condition and my fingers tingled as I picked it up. I was surprised when I was still about to make in play, but clearly my talent is somewhat rusty, which makes me sad. Once I could really make music but now my fingers stumble over notes and my breath doesn't quite stretch to pitch.
I wonder, 10 years later, can I get back to where I once was? I think my glory days of the National Concert Hall are behind me, but it would be nice to be able to show my husband, who has never heard me play, how great I once was.
So I am wondering, can our great passions and talents be lost forever if we don't use them? Only one way to find out I suppose... watch this space!
1 comment:
There's so much to say about this. I'll start by noting that my wife once told me the harp was a great instrument to play if you wanted to get into an orchestra because there are so few people who play it - evidently few who teach it.
I don't know if you've seen the film The Double Life of Veronique, but it perfectly encapsulates this quandary - leaving all twists aside it's about a woman who lives for singing until one day she knows she has to stop, and never sing as long as she lives.
My answers - no, we never lose the passion, and sometimes it comes back to us after decades. If we've practised to a high level, we never actually lose that conditioning of our bodies, either - it's as tough we've moulded them to respond in certain ways. Some things we can never do the same if our bodies just won't take it. But some things can be. David Helfgott, I guess?
Pick up the flute :)
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