The girl from the north country-a true tale

Posted by LWR (A) on January 24, 2015 at 18:42:56

(originally posted elsewhere by me in 2008)
back in the day when my hair touched my shoulders and I practiced wickedness & debauchery a strange thing happened to me and thus this tale begins......
It was likely 1969, but maybe not. Somewhere along the way, someplace in time I came across a wonderful and beautiful girl who lived to the north in Marin County. There were those kind of sparks, you know the kind I'm sure and she came along home with me. Oh the joy and discoveries we shared. The colors were especially beautiful and on one of our trips I put on some music, Bach it was and we were enthralled. Having pro theater speakers that played at realistic live levels added to the waterfall of music we immersed ourselves in.
Some days later we found ourselves arm in arm walking around downtown Palo Alto. We came to the corner where Swain's Music Store stood, now it is an Apple store. We were as hippy looking as can be and when she paused in front of the store and said "let's go in" I did not think the reception was going to be warm.
Nevertheless she led me into the store and as we walked inwards the staff began moving out toward us. She sat down at aa harpsichord that was near the door, the staff moved faster then her fingers dropped to the keyboards and she began to play. The staff slowed, I was agape, she was playing Air On The G String, the same Bach tune we had heard a few days earlier while flying thru inner space together. Not only playing it, but owning it. The sales staff and I stood there about as dumfounded as can be. The piece is the music that became A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procul Harem.
When she was done she asked if she could play an organ and they showed her to one. She began to play and it was Prelude And Fugue In E minor (Known as The Wedge!). The power and the majesty, unbelievable. Then after that was done she showed me that Bach's organ music is played like so: the index and middle fingers of each hand play a melody (2 different ones) and the ring and small fingers of each hand play counter melodies (2 different ones), then, each foot plays different melodies yet (now we have 6 melodies and counter melodies happening at once).
All good things must end, I returned her to her home in Marin, once there she invited me in and in her house, on her walls were the posters advertising the Organ recitals she gave. She was a child genius it seems and could play Bach by the time she was 5.
Sadly her name is lost in the mists of time. Her music is still heard in my mind, especially around X-Mas. And so, I sit here and hear the glory of Bach, even though my stereo is not on.

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Topic - The girl from the north country-a true tale - LWR 18:42:56 01/24/15 (4)

RE: The girl from the north country-a true tale - tesla 11:42:49 01/25/15 (3)

Ships passing in the night - LWR 13:06:56 01/25/15 (2)

RE: Ships passing in the night - 6bq5 15:28:33 01/26/15 (1)

In 1965-66 - LWR 18:08:49 01/26/15 (0)

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