The RACHMANINOFF DILEMMA!!

This will be one of my many posts that will touch upon my son's great love for the composer Rachmaninoff. The video posted above is from a couple years ago when my son, Christian (11)and daughter, Malia (age7) made up a little skit with "Mom's" help to submit to "The Ellen" show. A producer from the Ellen show had already called to speak to the kids about a possible appearance and they were asked to submit a couple more private videos at that point. They had great feedback from the producers but the show was overbooked at the time and we have simply not pursued it. However, we will leave the door open and in the meantime, enjoy this video.

When Christian began private music classes with the renowned Peter Turner, he had a specific goal in his five year old mind that he simply must play the music of Rachmaninoff one day. In the interview with Mr. Turner before lessons officially started, my little boy (all 30 pounds of him) asked most politely and solemnly to the very proper English gentleman as they shook hands hello," Mr. Turner, can you play Rachmaninoff." Without missing a beat, the 86 year old professor seriously answered him, "Christian, my old fingers can't play his music anymore but I can teach Rachmaninoff." Christian grinned and Mr. Turner smiled in return and thus it began.

Well, that short memorable exchange shaped the next few years of Christian's life. Every week, we would arrive midday to the teacher's quaint, immaculate home and Christian would have a glorious lesson on a beautiful Yamaha grand piano. I was given a chair in the teaching room so I might sit and take notes so Mr. Turner could move about the room.  Besides Christian, who learned to read music before his English, could benefit at home if I knew what he was supposed to work on. A distinguished teacher myself, I found myself in awe watching the master at work. Parenting a gifted musical prodigy was extremely daunting and righting the "RIGHT TEACHER" was essential.

"I don't suppose," Mr. Turner would say with a touch of a sigh "that YOU, Christian could play that Sonatina a little quicker just so it dances?" and  would then frown for effect as he continued "BUT, it would be difficult to keep those sixteenths tidy."
Christian would respond immediately taking the dare and playing a delightfully faster, yet tidy version of the piece. Other times, Mr. Turner (who had grown up singing in various choirs) would sing the piece, making up words that fit the rhythm...nonsense really. but then Christian would copy the graceful lilt and Mr. Turner would clap his hands with joy. Each piano lesson would start and end with a hug and I felt at peace knowing Christian's great musical talent was being shaped and nurtured with love. In fact, after only four months together, Christian wrote his grade 2 RCM exam (at age five) and received the second highest mark (94) in Canada for that year.

THIS was one parenting decision that definitely came out right and not just because of the incredible mark but more importantly, because of the incredible joy!!





I could write pages on this extraordinary relationship but I am going to concentrate on their mutual goal today and that was eventually having fingers long enough, trained enough, musical enough to play the great Rachmaninoff. Christian would examine his fingers daily and sigh dramatically about his small fingers and despaired that they may never grow.

So, this concern and worry over his hands continued as Christian grew older but one story remains clearly etched in my mind and it will be the one I share with you today. Christian was about eight years old and was playing pieces at this point that were grade seven/eight level. I was in the kitchen when I heard him start to cry in the other room during the middle of his practice. Christian, always my little "Beethoven," walked in the kitchen and didn't bother to wipe away the tears that was streaming down his face.

"Mommy, HOW COULD YOU?!!!" he asked obviously upset through his tears.

"How could I what?" I responded quietly, perplexed by Christian's question.

"HOW COULD YOU MARRY DADDY KNOWING HIS HANDS WERE SO SMALL AND HIS FINGERS WERE FAT? WHY DID YOU MARRY HIM?"

I tried, I truly tried to contain the laughter that roared through my belly because this small boy standing before me with his tear stained face was sincerely upset and quite furious.

"But honey," as I tried to hide my giggles, because I knew as a mother, it was MY JOB TO CONSOLE MY SON who was quite grumpy as he glared at me. However, it was soon apparent that no matter what attributes of his father I was trying to share with Christian, none mattered at the moment. He finally cut me off, his heart obviously broken....

"NOW" Christian said with great emphasis, "NOW, I'll NEVER BE ABLE TO PLAY RACHMANINOFF," and stormed off to his room in a new torrent of tears.

Sharing this story with my husband when he got home from work didn't exactly receive a belly laugh but more a reaction of shock and dismay.

"Well, I said carefully," Christian wasn't really thinking about you in general, just your hands specifically." I held my husband's hands up for inspection and couldn't help but gasp just a little bit.''

"Oh My, I said a bit concerned,"

My husband  almost spat the words out "My fingers ARE FAT and STUBBY and then added sadly, "AND SO ARE MY DADS."
"YIKES," I tried to hide my true emotions because I had never examined his hands this closely and frankly was nervous that Christian would be right and his fingers would never be long enough to play Rachmaninoff.

It was an awkward moment and I felt sad for my husband both because we had hurt his feelings and also that he had been born with small hands.

"Well," I spoke cautiously. "WE can hope that Christian's hands will grow bigger than yours."

"Yes," said my now grumpy husband, "He is only eight after all, surely his hands will still grow."


AND THEY HAVE!! CHRISTIAN, at age 13, has beautiful long tapered fingers, BIG HANDS and he can play RACHMANINOFF. It is beautiful, glorious and when I hear Christian play music from this composer, I feel as though I have glimpsed the beauty of heaven.



Hopefully, you can hear this 15 second link....of course, it is Rachmaninoff.

Parenting a gifted boy certainly came with a list of challenges and this particular demand, being completely out of my control, could only be determined in time. But thankfully, God had a plan to bless Christian with exquisite piano fingers that could handle any Rachmaninoff piece imaginable. With young "Beethoven's" temperament, it was indeed the right decision!