Lerner wasn’t exactly quiet this morning—still our Glass Box of Reverberation that we love so well—but the clatter seemed somehow different, almost mournful. As always, a faint tinkling of “Clair de Lune” troubled the air, courtesy of the fifth floor open-air piano. Conspicuously absent, though, was the usually accompanying (and conflicting) piano tune, typically “der Erlkönig,” or anything headachey by Liszt. The Second Law of Lerner Hall: for every too-loud pianist, there is an equally unknowing pianist on an adjacent ramp. Why was this day different from all others? Where was the second player?
A quick, hopeful jaunt up the ramps (could it be?) brought the answer, and with it, deliverance:
Lerner is now only mildly cacophonous because the piano lounge has lost a piano! While that pesky fifth floor baby grand remains (as does its oft-ignored brother in the basement), this disappearance marks a good first step. Taking upon his or her shoulders the burden of a generation, someone did the unthinkable-yet-necessary for us all. Be the change you want to see, right? One down, two to go ’til we study in peace.
12 Comments
@bwog should just stay in its Wien single and do its makeup. Or whatever.
@Hooah If you want to study in peace, go to a library. The unpredictable playlists of the pianists are one of my favorite touches of Lerner.
@Anonymous their just replacing the pianos this year. sheesh.
@Anonymous *they’re
@Anonymous come on people… where else are we supposed to practice?
@thank you It was a nice idea to have piano music floating up through the open Lerner, connecting the top and bottom of student affairs and activities. A nice idea…please do not put back the piano.
Two days ago someone played obscenely loud Russian piano music right next to a 60 person music ensemble rehearsing on the fifth floor. The piano music was perhaps too loud and difficult to entertain the thought that it was also distracting. I’m sure Charles Ives was amused.
@Hm. The pianos are missing from all the dorm lounges, too. THIS IS A CONSPIRACY. No, but really, Bwog, can you find out why?
@Maybe this? http://music.columbia.edu/summer2010pianonews
“SO . . . quite suddenly this summer, we found ourselves short over 30 pianos with the school year approaching!”
“Right now, the loaner pianos are still in their same locations, but they will be removed within the next two weeks. There may be a period when we are short of pianos in several locations, but by a few weeks into the semester there will be more (and better) pianos across campus than there were before! Please be patient while we make the transition.”
@Anonymous I like the pianos… the music is kind of enjoyable sometimes.
@Anonymous Except when it’s that guy that plays songs from Super Mario 64 all the time.
@bwog needs to just relax. the pianos were fine.
@Anonymous AGREED. especially considering that there are so few pianos to practice on, it was obnoxious when people were fine with the person having a loud conversation on their phone but asked you to stop when you were practicing for your piano class.