The Tale of Two Igors

Igor and I have had a love-hate relationship.  It began when I was 12.  My parents brought him home, unannounced, and I was pleasantly surprised.  He was beautiful back in the day, old even then, but shiny and clean, and a vast improvement over his predecessor, a beautifully carved, sagging upright from 1904.  I loved him then.  Igor is my piano.

Igor is a 5 foot baby grand piano that I named for one of my favorite composers, Igor Stravinsky.  Why Stravinsky, you ask?  (or perhaps you didn't ask, but I will still answer) Stravinsky is a complex, daring, adventurous composer full of mercurial moods and mischief.  I knew, even as an adolescent, that my piano and I were about to launch on some great adventures to the nooks and crannies of the musical world and Stravinsky was an appropriate role model.

My first introduction to the music of Stravinsky was at the age of 14 through the most unlikely of pieces for a modern music neophyte.  My older brother played a recording of "Petrushka" for me.  It is a magnificent ballet composed by Stravinsky in 1910-1911 for the famous Ballets Russes in Paris.  It has passion, unrequited love, jealousy, murder, you name it.  If you can feel it, it's in this ballet.  I was immediately enchanted.  I couldn't stop listening to it's evocative blend of Russian folk melodies and contemporary harmonies and rhythms.  I scrounged a copy of the score and banged it out on my piano as best I could, taking yet another fantastic sonic tour with Igor (and Igor!).

But now, decades later, I have been on one too many trips with my piano.  Igor is worn out and I have hated him.  He is badly marred, with "Kimmy" and "Love" scratched on the side by my then 5 year old daughter.  I thought it was time to get rid of him and replace him with a much younger, more attractive model.  Then I discovered through the Antique Piano Shop that Igor has worth.  He was made in the 1920's by Schroeder and Son, an American company that made outstanding quality pianos then went out of business in 1930 due to the Great Depression.  His case is Honduran mahogany and his soundboard spruce. Igor needs restoration.  Once the work is done, he will be a valuable and exquisite little piano.  Who knew?

So I wonder, what else in our lives appears to be worn out, old, in need of replacement, and yet in reality would be of great worth with a little restoration?  I have a few suggestions.

The Constitution of the United States of America - There are a few voices claiming it's time to scrap this document due to its antiquated irrelevance.  I disagree.  Let's dust it off, polish it up, and understand it instead.

Families - They may seem obsolete, but it's still the best place to raise a kid.  And don't trade in that worn out spouse!  Polish him/her up with words of kindness and affirmation.

Moral Values - How about bringing honesty, decency, courtesy, modesty, respect, and circumspect behavior back into fashion?

Friendships - We all have friends we thought we'd write off due to misunderstandings or hurt feelings.  Let's put away our pride and love them instead.  Everyone has value.

I'm sure with a little contemplation each of us will be able to identify things in our lives that deserve a second chance, that are really of great worth.  And this includes ourselves!

Igor the piano

Igor the composer