Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Just griping.

Martha Argerich doesn't have to excavate the remaining roots of a dead tree with a shovel and spade. Murray Perahia doesn't have to pull and push and then saw through the roots that are as thick as his arm. Stephen Hough doesn't have to rake out all the dead wood and tiny roots to smooth out the soil. Andras Schiff doesn't have to vacuum his entire house. Evgeny Kissin doesn't have to do three loads of laundry and change the sheets. Hélène Grimaud doesn't have to make dinner when she is so tired she can hardly stand.

I am so frustrated because after doing all that, my arms and hands are just to exhausted to practice. I can't even hold up a book.

I really want to get the last 2 pages of the Ballade off the ground but I just can't. Grumble.

With all those wolves around, she has to make sure she doesn't become dinner ...

I feel your pain. Thanksgiving cooking followed by lots of leaf raking ...

I have an insanely energetic young Lab who goes nuts if he doesn't have tennis balls thrown to him vigorously three or more times a day. It's hard to play piano when you've about blown out your rotator cuff!

Just remember, though, what that exemplary pianist Jimmy Cliff told us:

"Rome was not built in a day/
Opposition will come your way/
But the harder the battle you see/
It’s the sweeter the victory..."

pun intended?

It sounds like you've had a productive day with everything else though! I suppose today is out for practicing because you're too tired, but I've found that practicing while my arms are half dead (not completely dead) goes pretty well because I don't have the energy to play with too much tension.

I can't speak of all your favored pianists, but here in Canada we often see John Deere commercials featuring Martha Argerich riding a large tractor around her English property, hauling debris.

Argerich had to deal with cancer which seems a little more diffcult than doing laundry.

Well, that certainly does put things into perspective.

Actually... I don't know, but my guess is that not every career pianist, or anyone in the career don't care about their house, or garden or other. It's a big assumption to assume that these people apart from the full time job (career) are lazy slobs...

BTW, if you can't practice those 2 last pages, get to those 3-4 bars that get the most of you and practice these in extra slow speed.

Right, everybody has something to deal with....

Not exactly what I'd call "manual labor".


I have been so busy at school I barely have time to play anything. So looking forward to finals and winter break.

I was assuming that the people on that list are so rich they just hire someone to do the work and they can choose what they do themselves. I had absolutely no strength left in my hands and arms so I really couldn't practice. Today it's better but I'm sore. It just really bugs me when I can't practice especially when I'm off from work.

@ H Good luck on your finals.

All of the pianists mentioned have to deal with huge careers and withstand the immense pressures from it. It would he unfair to compare.

Of course, but they never find their hands and wrists too sore and exhausted to practice from doing mundane chores. I would imagine they do everything they can to protect their hands. I sometimes wish I could say no to chores because I have to protect my precious hands. Sigh.

I spent the last summer doing work that's equivalent to machining and reinforced concrete construction, so my hands were in pain every day when I came home. I would get home and take a 3 hour break of doing anything before I could think about touching the piano..

I injured a tendon in my arm a couple of months ago, removing a tree root with an axe. Whilst it does not affect my piano playing, I have not been able to play my other passion, tennis, since. So be careful with those chores and look after your fingers/hands. I'm healing nicely though.

That sucks Deborah. I hope your hands and arms heal up soon. Maybe hire someone to do the really strenuous chores? Its probably worth it if its causing damage to your hands and general well-being.

I hope I did't come off too rude or harsh or anything.

My point remains: We can't make personal assumptions on ones life. Even if they have hug amounts of money, I simply refuse to think that Martha is pretty much acting like Paris (Hilton)! I don't think she's actually doing what you (or me... believe me) are doing, but at the same time, I remain confident that she's a human, like most of us. (And Paris is not)!

EDIT: I just hope that you're feeling better now. I think that I've done my part to turn this thread into something less and it's not fair!

Take care: I just wish I would be assigned to learn Ballad no.3 , but I simply can't!

Everything requires sacrifice.... we do have to deal with injuries and such, so you're not alone. (Not a fun thing to do with a deadline breathing down your neck)

Perahia cut his finger and, if I remember correctly, it got infected and he had to retire from playing for a few years. His entire career and livelihood was threatened.

aaaaahhhhhh..just let the housework go.

Actually, I like the balance of physical labor.