This is the English translation of my Japanese article to appear in Nikkan San on June 5th, 2022, as a part of my bi-weekly column, “The Way of the Pianist.
I wonder how common the phrase “hugging the keys” is. It means to press the keys with all your might. Your nails turn white. I’ve seen pianists’ fingers shake on the keys from the pressure. “It’s a vibrato!” I’ve heard some pianists explain, but from a mechanical point of view, this is impossible. The phrase has a negative connotation, as in hugging the keys is a thing a pianist should not do. “Don’t hug the keys!” my teachers used to scream over my playing during lessons. Why is that?
When a pianist depresses the keys, the hammer strikes the strings inside – that’s how pianos make sounds. To let the strings continue to vibrate, hammers detach themselves from the stings immediately after the strike. Therefore, the only thing the pianist can control is the speed and the weight with which to depress the key. Anything after that is a waste of time and energy. Furthermore, to invest so much on one key means to emphasize one note out of the context of the music, often disrupting the flow and the overall structure of the piece.
Last month, on April 22nd designated as “Earth Day,” climate activist Wynn Bruce self-immolated in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. Four years prior to Mr. Bruce’s final act, David Buckel had also self-immolated after publishing a letter describing his act as symbolic reflection of what we are doing to our environment, and by extension, ourselves. As a last resort to appeal to the world for more attention and engagement, many scientists are chaining themselves to buildings of government and financial institutions, blocking traffic, and getting arrested. One reason for the general lack of awareness around these protests may be attributed to the the desperation around the climate issues that some worry could incite violence, in addition to concerns over reports of these fatal self-sacrifices leading more to follow suit.
To convert a passionate and urgent conviction into a sustainable, perpetual and constructive action requires perspective, and the ability to strategize. For the same reason a pianist should not hug a key, one should not identify oneself solely with one view, because that could distort one’s understanding of the interconnectedness of broader issues, and ultimately obscure our common goal. But what does this mean in terms of my everyday actions and choices? I don’t know, and thus I write. In the meanwhile, I continue my work with Tempo: Music for Climate Action.