Music Memory

Some of my fondest childhood memories are the times my mother would play the piano. She had studied music from an early age and often attended the Metropolitan Opera, but her true enjoyment came from musical comedies. As soon as it came out, she would buy the sheet music and accompany herself singing. Although I never got the key quite right, I enjoyed singing with her. One of her favorites was Oklahoma!. Richard Rogers wrote the lyrics and Oscar Hammerstein, the music. We went to an original production in the early 1940’s. It was the first of many matinees we attended. She especially like the song, People Will Say We’re In Love. I can still hear and see her singing in my mind’s eye (and ear) as she played the piano in our living room in Garden City, Long Island, New York. It was set near the window at the front of the house and helped to balance a 20 foot by 40 foot room. This Tudor-style house had the living room off the main hall, which was entered from the front door, on to a slate hall. On the right, a short wooden, floored hall led to the dining room and on the left, to the large living room, carpeted in oriental rugs. At the center of this room was a fireplace with two small couches at either side, and an oil painting above of sailing ships and seamen that incorporated the colors in the slates. Many an evening and holiday family gatherings were held in this room, leaving me with a multitude of delightful memories.