My twin brother Graham and I started going to piano lessons when we were eight years old (in 1945) and finished when we were eighteen years old (1955) when I went off to work to earn a living, and he went to what was then the Glasgow Tech (College of Technology) to study engineering! We were selected to play on the radio when we were twelve years old, so that would be in 1949, in “Auntie Kathleen’s show – We Want to Broadcast! – which turned out to be a competition amongst the various so-called talented children! It was HUGE fun, and as always, we treated it as a bit of a laugh, having the support of one another! There, I’ve given you far more than you need!! You now almost know me better than I know myself!!
Your 5 pieces of music & why
Litolff's Scherzo, in duet form - first piece played by my twin brother and me on BBC Radio Children's Hour "We Want to Broadcast!" CLICK HERE
Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (piano) - the piece I automatically play when I open the piano lid - it is so moving and evocative of the sky in the evening. CLICK HERE
Bach's Jesu my Joy - again played by my twin and I at many many concerts in duet form - and, believe it or not, we did play it well and with lots of feeling! CLICK HERE
Gilbert & Sullivan's Overture to "The Mikado" which was the favourite piece of my Mum and Dad's - and all the family joined in! CLICK HERE
Tschaikovsky's "Chanson Triste" - a piano piece - which again, I play when I am feeling thoughtful, or even sad, and it restores the balance in my life. CLICK HERE
....and an add on - Vaughn Williams' "Country Gardens" - another piece I automatically play when I am feeling content, or even, dare I say it, HAPPY! CLICK HERE
Your book & why
Anything by the reasonably new American authoress and crime writer, Melinda Leigh - I love her approach - she mixes anticipation, fear, happiness and a bit of laughter thrown in for good measure!
Your luxury item & why
A 1000 piece jigsaw by Ravensburger "Portrait of the World" - my geography is almost non-existent, and it might help me to work out, literally, where in the world I am!!
Muriel Manning
Your 5 pieces of music & why
Litolff's Scherzo, in duet form - first piece played by my twin brother and me on BBC Radio Children's Hour "We Want to Broadcast!" CLICK HERE
Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (piano) - the piece I automatically play when I open the piano lid - it is so moving and evocative of the sky in the evening. CLICK HERE
Bach's Jesu my Joy - again played by my twin and I at many many concerts in duet form - and, believe it or not, we did play it well and with lots of feeling! CLICK HERE
Gilbert & Sullivan's Overture to "The Mikado" which was the favourite piece of my Mum and Dad's - and all the family joined in! CLICK HERE
Tschaikovsky's "Chanson Triste" - a piano piece - which again, I play when I am feeling thoughtful, or even sad, and it restores the balance in my life. CLICK HERE
....and an add on - Vaughn Williams' "Country Gardens" - another piece I automatically play when I am feeling content, or even, dare I say it, HAPPY! CLICK HERE
Your book & why
Anything by the reasonably new American authoress and crime writer, Melinda Leigh - I love her approach - she mixes anticipation, fear, happiness and a bit of laughter thrown in for good measure!
Your luxury item & why
A 1000 piece jigsaw by Ravensburger "Portrait of the World" - my geography is almost non-existent, and it might help me to work out, literally, where in the world I am!!
Muriel Manning