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Random pianos will appear in random places this year
By adamg on Fri, 02/15/2013 - 3:54pm
A "street pianos" group is planning to install pianos in random spots around Boston this year:
Located in public parks, bus shelters and train stations, outside galleries and markets and even on bridges and ferries the pianos are available for any member of the public to play and enjoy.
Via BostInno.
Ed. note: Imagine if they showed up after the weekend storm as space savers.
Neighborhoods:
Ad:
Comments
Street pianos
My favorite street pianos. (This is apparently one in a whole series, over quite a few years.)
Beat me to it, Adam
I was just going to say one of these puppiers better not show up in my parking spot.
Let's just say the pianist's virtuoso days would be behind him. ;)
Yay!
Now the whole city gets to listen to me hunt-and-peck "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!" My favorite!
On a side "note", can you imagine how filthy those piano keys will be once every kid and bum in the city has touched them? YUCK.
Saw some in Paris
None of these issues seemed to be a problem.
Oh, but they are new to Boston so they must be completely untested in an urban environment.
How did they sound?
Were they in tune? Pianos can't sit outdoors for long stretches without going out of tune. In Boston's changing weather conditions, they'll need frequent tuning, so I hope that comes with.
Under cover in public areas
They were undercover in places that would be equivalent to North or South station or an open-air but covered arcade. There was a sign that said how frequently they were tuned, but I'm not so good at French as to figure it out.
How to protect pianos against severe storms?
An "open-air but covered arcade" might be adequate for an ordinary rain shower, but it's not going to do much good during an Irene, Sandy, Blizzard of '13, or a nor'easter like we got last December 26-27.
They should have to post a
They should have to post a bond to remove these things after they become a derelict public nuisance. It's not something your average trash guy is going to be able to heave into a truck and haul away, and it will probably take two years for the city to figure out who's resposibility it is to heave them.
I'm of two minds about this
Part of me thinks it's a really cool idea for pianos to be scattered around the city for public use. But part of me cringes at the thought of noise pollution from people, small children, etc who don't know how to play, just pounding on them for the novelty value. Especially in places like train stations and bus shelters where people are basically a captive audience. At T stops we already have to put up with panhandlers and other pseudo musicians singing off key a-capella or with karaoke to solicit donations.
Wow...
What a bunch of complainers!