Stories about people's Für Elise experiences
Mrs. Randby couldn't be swayed...
This story was submitted by Eileen Gross and was added around March 2010.
I have a very funny story to share from my childhood while learning how to play Fur Elise-
I have played the piano for most of life and took classical piano lessons from about 3 to 14. However, I learned how to play Fur Elise by my Mother (now deceased) as she always played Fur Elise on the piano, which was one of her favorite songs. When I was very young, I was very eager to learn how to play that particular song.
One day after my Mother taught me a couple of measures of the music, I wanted to show my piano teacher what I had learned. My piano teacher, Mrs. Randby (now deceased too) was very strict on reading the music (NEVER LOOK AT YOUR HANDS), good posture, sit-up very straight, always play with you fingers in the shape of a "bubble", your writs are prompt up, etc. When I starting playing Fur Elise to my teacher and showed her what I had learned - I was imitating my Mother as how my Mother played the song, swaying to the music, my body posture was moving back and forth (like a very emotional concert pianist getting really into the music) ...Oh my God! My piano teacher was having a fit! She was correcting me left and right …she could not even focus on that fact that I memorized the music! LOL!
I have continued to play Fur Elise (the whole song) throughout my life on the piano - almost everyday. AS THIS IS MY FAVORITE SONG and one that I can remember the most!