Joy in unexpected places
Being profoundly deaf from birth and unable to appreciate the rhythm and cadences of music, even with a powerful digital hearing aid, I had rarely experienced watching the BBC Proms on television until the evening of 20th July.
The Prom in question featured a special performance of Ravel’s “Piano Concerto for the Left Hand” by Nicholas McCarthy, a disabled pianist born without his right hand. I was interested to see how he would perform.
I sat through the first half while waiting for the piece by Ravel, and what a delight it was to watch the orchestra! The assembled musicians were performing a joyful piece by Shostakovich in unison, moving harmoniously as one, playing a wide range of instruments from the smallest (piccolo) to the largest (harp). There was even a xylophone, a triangle and a tambourine; instruments I dimly remembered playing when I was a child at school.
The conductor was sensitively bringing everyone together. I can truly say that my perception of classical music changed that evening, as even I could begin to register subtle variations in volume and tempo (but not pitch) with my hearing aid. It has taught me to thank God for the low-frequency environmental sounds I can pick up like the barking of dogs and the clopping of horses’ hooves, instead of being angry that I am missing out on hearing music and speech (which are a complex blend of high and low frequency sounds) in everyday life.
“Turn every think into a thank,” someone once told me. This is hard to do, and requires constant effort on our part. For one, I wish to thank the orchestra for their combined skill in delivering a very special Prom that evening.
