During communion a man played a long and beautiful piece on the piano. I asked him later what it was: Beethoven. He played correctly, and with feeling, but he is not ‘a good pianist’ and that’s why I enjoyed it so much, because it was hard come by and humbly offered.
— Helen Garner, One Day I’ll Remember This: Diaries 1987–1995
Notes:
- Photo: Hans Lindgren
- Book Review of Helen Garner’s “One Day I”ll Remember This” by Charlotte in Book Bird. “…There are some books you slip through like water. They have a weightlessness to them, an otherworldly lack of friction…This was my experience of reading Helen Garner’s diaries. I was surprised by how immersive it was, that experience, how easy to lose my sense of time…Garner is a very sensual, instinctive writer. She feels her way through moments, days, and years, and documents those feelings as they roll and toss…”
Certainly the moments that are offered with humility and unspoken effort (though the effort is identifiable) are precious. And I guess it’s that unspoken awareness – that one is being given a moment to be cherished without expectation, is exponentially valued and held gently.
Beautiful. Yes.
So, I missed reading the book review from yesterday’s post. Reading it now, and now I really want to read the book.
👌
much more human and flawed than some but with real heart and soul
Exactly
Thank you, David. Made my morning.
love ‘both’ of these offerings, but I was truly enchanted by ‘book bird’s’ review.
As for the organ, I can relate too – in our church we have everything, from professional pianist to ‘barely managing’ – not always to my joy but I agree with Garner’s observation. As long as it’s offered with humbleness and in the knowledge of giving one’s best shot but unable to do more, I like it better than a perfect but soulless piece of music.
This nails it Kiki: “ I like it better than a perfect but soulless piece of music.”