Q&A: Why the Glass of Wine?

In addition to having a general love of wine (having grown up on the doorsteps of one of the world’s great wine regions!), the glass of wine at my piano became a personal symbol of my attempt to return to playing as an adult.

This came about after I had spent a number of years on futile attempts at finding medical solutions for chronic injuries that prevented me from being able to play more than a few minutes every few days. I finally decided that I had to accept the situation and adopt a more relaxed approach without expectation and the accompanying anxiety.

Around the same time, I’d also read an article by a professional pianist who had decided to use wine as an alternative to prescribed pain medication after her research had found that it was potentially less harmful as a pain killer (and most certainly more enjoyable!). I had also been prescribed some powerful drugs but wanted to avoid using them. This turned out to be wise as I subsequently discovered that they were not nearly as benign as they’d been made out to be.

Because wine is something that I very much associated with relaxation and enjoyment, it seemed a good excuse to combine the occasional glass of wine with attempts to play. This became a pleasurable ritual that I looked forward to at the end of a day’s work. It help me simply enjoy the experience for what it was without being caught up with negative assessments of my lack of progress and frustration with my physical limitations.

Although I cannot speak to the medical efficacy of my layperson’s treatment regime, my endeavours were rewarded with a modest degree of success in that I was able to gradually return to playing in a limited capacity. While attributing this to the wine is slightly tongue in cheek and probably dubious on scientific grounds, it did perhaps contribute in an indirect way. Taking the occasional sip automatically forced intermittent pauses, alleviating any build up of tension and helping me avoid getting carried away and going too far.

Regardless of the physical impact, I found a glass of wine at the piano to be effective on a psychological level as it serves as a reminder that my motivations and objectives now are completely different to those that I had when I was studying music formally. Instead of approaching playing the piano in a driven and highly critical manner, I am simply seeking to derive enjoyment and fulfilment on a personal level. While I will never achieve the same levels in my playing, as an amateur I can at least take advantage of the luxury of being able to combine these two pleasures !