16 stories & pictures about “Hampstead Heath”

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1. Roseann Campbell   // Jul 15, 2010 at 11:17 am
   I came across this piano one evening, it was a perfect full moon and I had the great company of a close friend. I decided it deserved a poem
   
   http://roseannsky.wordpress.com/
   
   thank you for this great idea
2. Liz & Angela   // Jul 11, 2010 at 8:56 am
   My mum (Liz) has been playing the piano for about a year now and although she has not had any lessons (and could not read music before she started learning) she is now playing really well and building up a great repertoire.
   
   We decided that the Hampstead Heath piano should be the site of her first (open air) concert! The chosen piece? Nelly the Elephant!
   
   As there were some time constraints, we merged the concert with our routine run over the heath (hence the running outfit)...and it was a huge success...so proud of my mum!
   

   
3. Denis Fernando   // Jul 4, 2010 at 8:52 pm
   Another great location for a piano - lots of people come here when its sunny and there are great acoustics which mean it rings out across the park. Being on a bandstand to perform is also very special. Unfortunately the front has been torn off and hammers have been broken in the piano meaning the higher and lower end of the piano is not working. Please bring the piano back to this location next year and chain it shut so it cant be vandalised!
   
   I still managed to play music I have composed including my single (see the street pianos video for the single attached) and got great reaction from passers by. The single is available on iTunes
   
   www.myspace.com/redcablesunday
   
   

   
4. mitchman   // Jul 3, 2010 at 8:43 pm
   I tried this piano tonight. Unfortunately it's in an appauling condition.
   
   It's really battered. So many keys are broken.
   
   All of the lower bass register from lower E down to bottam A don't work. You can see through the panels where the actual hammers have snapped off. It's such a shame. Most of the keys in the top two octaves are broken as well.
   
   I managed to attract the attention of the local kids playing football somehow. I did 'Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone' in A minor which just about worked. The upper b natural was duff though and kept not sounding.
   
   Such a good location for a piano as well. It echos out so far! After I left I heard one of local football kids trying chopsticks until I got about ten minutes walk away!
5. Sue   // Jul 3, 2010 at 7:10 pm
   Taking Friday as leave from work, I travelled across town to find the Hampstead Heath piano. The piano seat was occupied by an elderly gentleman, with his back to the piano, reading his paper. What was I to do? Wait? or disturb his peace?
   
   Plucking up my courage, I asked if I could share the piano seat with him; we had a conversation, and I dug out my music books and started to play, exploring traditional hymn tunes, hoping to find some common ground. Bunessan hit the spot. He told me he used to play the viola, cello, piano, and other instruments. He hadn't known we were allowed to play the piano. He demonstrated what I was doing wrong (playing with only one hand, and not playing multiple notes together.) I confessed I did not know what the pedals are for; he told me about the sustain pedal, and I tried it. We both had our hands on that keyboard, and looked at the workings of the piano together, and reminisced about the player piano. It was a good meet.

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