[Magdalen] Grace's Birthday.

[Grace Cangialosi]

We had a Knabe baby grand that someone gave us when I was about 12. We had it completely refurbished when I was in college, including a new pinblock. I sold it to our church organist when I went to seminary, haven’t had a real piano since. Knabes were always good.

> On Aug 2, 2019, at 12:44 PM, Marion Thompson <marionwhitevale at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Interesting account of Grace's contributions to your musical life.  I was
> caught by the mention of Knabe.  From before my birth nearly 81 years ago,
> my mother, an accomplished pianist, had a Knabe upright, which she
> treasured.  When her downsizing happened, my brother ended up with the
> Knabe.  Now he is selling his house and offered it to me.  Alas, I have no
> space to take it, having had to leave my lesser upright behind in Whitevale
> with the young family that bought my place.  *Sic transit gloria mundi.*
> 
> Marion, a pilgrim
> 
> On Fri, Aug 2, 2019 at 10:48 AM cantor03--- via Magdalen <
> magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> This is my Cousin Grace's birthday.  She would be 120.
>> She lived three doors away in my hometown in Wisconsin,and she was also my
>> piano teacher and the O/C of thelocal Methodist church where I sang alto
>> until thevoice change at about 11.
>> Grace taught piano via her treasured Mason & Hamlin grand piano.Though not
>> a concert grand, the piano still filled her front parlor andI recall that
>> tunes sounded better on her M&H than my familyupright.  We eventually
>> bought a Knabe spinet which even in thatday (1950) set my father back
>> somewhat more than $1,500.This was a step up musically, but it still wasn't
>> a grand piano.
>> Grace was an advocate of USA brands of pianos such as the M&H.Chickering,
>> Knabe, Steinway and Baldwin.  Japanese pianos were not onthe horizon then.
>> 
>> If you can imagine, I rented, for pittance, a real Bosendorfer grand whenI
>> was living in Frankfirt/Main, Germany.  What a thrill that was, andGrace
>> played it when she visited us in Germany. Bosendorfer is nowowned by Yamaha.
>> But Grace's real claim to fame was her chocolate cake with crushedwalnut
>> frosting.  No one seemed able to duplicate the recipe.
>> RIP. Cousin Grace.
>> 
>> 
>> David S.
>>