GRAND PIANO PUSHED ASIDE
Old High School Piano
Gets Called on by Artist
By CHRIS KOW1TZ, JB
Thil li the story of a piano, the kids who loved it, and an artist
who brought It out of hiding to enrapture an audience with master
ful tonei from its old, battered frame.
Iliinlrataaa m CdIotm VtiaV, colinnl ctanrle an iinriahl nianA nf oKmit
1900 vintage, bearing scars of constant, hard use by hundreds of 'y that Solito de Solisdid bring
high school students,
chance" on the stage.
The big, black grand piano
was pushiJ to the rear of the
stage, while the old upright
creaked and groaned its way to
the center of the stage. Some
members of the crowd wondered
if Solito de Soils would even at
tempt to bring music from "old
faithful."
Those who attended the con
cert Wednesday night will testi-
For many years no one re
members Just how many that
piano has faithfully stood up
under the terrific barrage of
adolescent fingers pounding it
during leisure hours.
That piano has brought joy to
Salem High students down
through the years. Uncountable
business and professional men
in Salem can remember their
days in high school, and the
times they plunked away on that
old piano, or tried to drown it
out by loud singing in school
pep rallies.
It has been abused far more
than a musical instrument
should. But It has always been
ready for another kid to strike
its keys.
It has outlasted the school's
desks, chair and tables. It has
even outlasted one high school
building.
Today, no one remembers just
when or how the instrument
first came to the school, but it
is thought that the piano was
donated to the school by some
individual who had received all
the use from it he wanted. Dur
ing the last few years, it has
been carefully preserved by
stagehands who respect its age.
That aged instrument has stood
by backstage while the school's
grand piano has been used for
all stage attractions. Whenever
a program is conducted at the
school, or a guest musician ap
pears, the grand piano has taken
its glorious place on the stage to
thrill audiences, while the old,
battered upright, so well-loved
by the kids, has been wheeled
off to a dusty corner.
And if that old piano could
talk, it would probably say that
it was content to stand by and
let the mighty grand take all the
glory. The old piano would
know that it was serving its pur
pose just being there for the
kids to pound on.
Wednesday night the old in
strument was wheeled out of the
way once again, back to its dusty
corner, while the grand piano
was placed at midstage for a
concert with Gale Page and So
lito de Solis, a vocalist-pianist
duo.
Solito de Solis was to open
the program with a concerto
solo. He took his place at the
keyboard of the majestic grand
piano, which had been tuned es
pecially for the occasion, and
proceeded to open the program.
The audience of music-lovers
immediately were enthralled by
the magic touch of the master.
Solito de Solis was playing
"Pastorale and Capriccio" by
Alessandro Scarlatti, as his open
ing number. Just as the artist
was swinging into a forceful sec
tion of the composition, he had
to stop suddenly. The damper
Key on the grand piano had
stuck, making it impossible for
the musician to continue.
But the artist continued his
concert not on the grand
piano, but on the beaten and
battered upright which came out
of its dark corner for its "big
music from "the box
The artist awed his audience
with his ability to play the most
delicate to the most feverish
music on a piano that should
have been retired years ago.
Gale Page, the movie star who
appeared as vocalist with de
Solis Wednesday, likewise kept
the audience in a state of awe.
She sang a wide variety of num
bers, and was just as effective
on "cute songs like "His MajeS'
ty the Baby," as she was on deep,
powerful songs like "Stormy
Weather."
And as Solito de Solis and
Miss Page were onstage during
their concert, many ex-Salem
High students in the audience
recognized the old piano the
artists were using, and couldn't
help feeling sentimental about
the old box of wood, ivory and
strings.
Gale Page, Solito de Solis and
the old, battered piano . . . three
great troupers.
Follow the Crowd to the
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You cannot beat the combination
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0
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Capital Journal, Salem. Oregon, Friday, Sef t. 23, 1949 S
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