Unsure Hands - JHolmes

4th Nov 2009 00:56 - 16 years ago
Description : A few days ago, my best friend's father died of a sudden heart attack, leaving behind both parents, three siblings, an ex wife, my friend, and three other sons, all younger. My friend wasn't particularly close with his father and isn't big on visiting his family. I wasn't sure if he'd want company, but I offered to go with him in case he thought it would help make things easier for him.

We left really early in the morning; I don't know if he slept the night before, but I definitely didn't. It took nearly four hours to get to get to where the service was. One of the deceased's brothers made the funeral home keep the viewing open until we got there so my friend could see his father one last time.

Viewings are normally pretty creepy, even more so when the deceased is still young. We walked through the empty room. He continued onward, while I sat in one of the chairs. As he neared the supine body his steps slowed.

A few seconds of eternity passed, each one feeling like hours. His head shifted almost imperceptibly, his shoulders rose slightly, and his hands seemed lost. Eventually, they settled somewhere near his waist, throwing the sides of his blazer outwards, obscuring my view of the open lid. Where his father's face once was, there was only a dark field of fabric. He stood, his sleeves shifting as his mind and his hands grasped for something. Abruptly, he spun on his heels and walked briskly away from the pedestal. In the time it took us to reach the back of the room, all evidence of the encounter had vanished from his face, except a redness in his eyes.

Start to finish, we weren't in that room for even 90 seconds, but I left feeling somehow much... older.

At the reception, my friend and his family did their best to ignore the inconsiderate "help" so many people seem to try to offer the bereaved. I sat down at a piano recently vacated by a classmate of one my friend's younger brothers. Trying my best to shake off the echoes of his incredibly loud, inexpertly played inappropriate Coldplay medley, I started playing.

This is my attempt at recreating what I played.

Comments (6)

If you have time take a listen and give JHolmes some feedback.

theassociation
theassociation 20th Apr 2010 02:35 - 16 years ago
superb, was reading your comment as it palyed, tore me up, great sounds, brilliant!
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown - 2028 years ago
Thanks.
str8outdapot
str8outdapot 5th Apr 2010 15:12 - 16 years ago
word u are an animal on the piano dog im touch by this track dog get at me
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown - 2028 years ago
Thanks man. I appreciate it.
TheDonMusic
TheDonMusic 6th Nov 2009 18:09 - 16 years ago
wow i could feel all of the emotion behind this, you are a gifted piano player best of luck in everything
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown - 2028 years ago
Thank you. I appreciate the comments.
FrenchKid18
FrenchKid18 5th Nov 2009 20:11 - 16 years ago
Your tracks are so full of heart and soul,it always gives me gooseflesh.This one is just beautiful!
Faved
French Kid
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown - 2028 years ago
Thank you! I appreciate the comments. Sorry for taking awhile to respond; I hadn't noticed the review.
Centrist
Centrist 4th Nov 2009 05:27 - 16 years ago
Favorited within the first minute.

Deep, impacting song, loving it and hating it at the same time. Well done.
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown - 2028 years ago
Wow, thank you. The first minute isn't even the best minute. My favorite part is where the left hand drops down an octave and the right hand starts banging back and forth, from low to high.

I made sure the song is actually playable, although it does require some good pedal control; there are a few places where you have to use the spot sustain if you want it to ring the notes exactly the way it's "played." Sadly, I'm not sure if I'm skilled enough to play it.
AcidParadox
AcidParadox 4th Nov 2009 02:13 - 16 years ago
This comment is hidden.

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