There are two kinds of pianists.
There are some pianists who play, not because they enjoy it, but because their parents
force them to take lessons. Then there are those who play the piano because it
pleases them to create music. They don’t need to be forced; on the contrary, they
sometimes don’t know when to stop.
Of the latter kind, there are some who play the piano as a hobby. Then there are
those who play for a living. That requires a whole new level of dedication, skill, and talent.
They may have some degree of freedom about what genre of music they play and
the stylistic choices they make when playing it, but fundamentally those choices are
driven by the needs of the employer or the tastes of the audience.
Of the latter kind, there are some who do it primarily for the money. Then there
are those professionals who would want to play the piano in public even if they weren’t
being paid. They enjoy using their skills and talents to make music for others. That
they can have fun and get paid for it is so much the better.
Of the latter kind, there are some who are self-taught, who play by ear, who might
have great talent and ability but can’t communicate that intuitive understanding to
others except through the music itself. Then there are those who have formal training
in both theory and practice. They can explain what techniques the composer used to
achieve the intended emotional effect, and use that knowledge to shape their interpretation
of the piece.
Of the latter kind, there are some who have never looked inside their pianos. Then
there are those who are fascinated by the clever escapements that lift the damper felts
a fraction of a second before the hammers strike the strings. They own key levelers
and capstan wrenches. They take delight and pride in being able to understand the
mechanisms of an instrument that has 5–10,000 moving parts.
Of the latter kind, there are some who are content to master their craft and exercise
their talents for the pleasure and profit it brings. Then there are those who are
not just artists, theorists, and technicians; somehow they find the time to pass that
knowledge on to others as mentors.
ERIC LIPPERT
Senior Software
Engineer, Microsoft
foreword C# in depth
