My most ardent fan

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 12 Oct 14 - 04:21 AM

When my grandfather played the cello the dog would howl.

One of my cats, when I played the concertina, would push into the space between my arm and my chest. I was never entirely sure what she wanted, but I suspected that she was trying to stop me pulling and pushing.

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: Harmonium Hero
Date: 11 Oct 14 - 02:33 PM

One cat we had only had to see me carrying something he couldn't readily identify, and he would assume it to be a musical instrument, and scuttle out of the room. Mind you, he had heard me playing highland pipes and rauschpfeife. A later cat, on the other hand, would happily sit on my knee while I played fiddle, being bounced up and down while I tapped my foot. Nor did he seem to mind the Spanish bagpipes. Our last cat didn't like my son playing the euphonium, but would go into my daughter's room while she played along to 80s pop on the drumkit. He would sit alongside, purring. She claims that his favourites were the Pet Shop Boys. Hmmmm.....
The cat stroking the guitar strings in topsie's video link above reminds me of a kitten we had when I was a youth. I taught him to pluck the strings on a ukelele. But, being a cat, he couldn't be arsed practising, so never progressed beyond 'My Dog Has Fleas".

John Kelly.

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: GUEST,Fyldeplayer
Date: 11 Oct 14 - 03:16 AM

Our cat Hollie often rolls over and plays 'dead' during group rehearsals. See seems to really like The Owl and the Pussycat.

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: GUEST,Oscar Wilde
Date: 10 Oct 14 - 11:59 AM

Cat (stiffly): I believe that it is customary in good society to take some light refreshment after a musical recital.

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 10 Oct 14 - 10:07 AM

My first cat seemed to love music. She would sit on the piano bench next to me while I played piano.

My present cat seems to be faking it. She sits on the piano bench, too, but the instant the song is done, she leaps to the floor and marches pointedly to her food dish. The message is clear: "If you're done with this foolishness, feed the cat!"

(She does it, even though there is dry food in her dish, waiting for her.)

Topsie, thanks for the link. As an experienced cat owner, I believe that George the cat is trying to disrupt the performance without actually being bad enough to be scolded or put from the room.

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: GUEST,eldergirl on another computer
Date: 10 Oct 14 - 06:55 AM

When my mother practised her songs (lyric soprano) the local blackbird would come and sing back from the tree outside th window.

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: GUEST,Derrick
Date: 10 Oct 14 - 04:46 AM

Many animals seem to like music,apart from my cat as previously posted.
When playing for my local clog dancers at a country pub, I glanced behind me to see a dozen or so cows lined up along the fenced fascinated by the music and dance.
I have seen horses react in a similar way.
A Scottish lady fiddler appeared on a TV program playing on a beach with an audience of seals listening from the water.

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 10 Oct 14 - 04:05 AM

When I sing, it's not only animals that howl and run away.
RtS

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: Gda Music
Date: 09 Oct 14 - 02:50 PM

A fellow down our pub was always bragging saying how really really clever his cat was (evidently it could play the piano?). Well in the end there nothing for it but for some of us to go around to his house and see it in action. He assured us it could jump up on to the stool, open up the piano lid for itself and then start playing with both paws. Amazingly that is exactly what happened, he was explaining how it played all this music by ear. Unfortunately somebody there suggested that he should have it orchestrated. In a flash that cat was off the stool across the room and through the open window and never seen again!.

GJ

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: Deckman
Date: 09 Oct 14 - 01:48 PM

That is TOO FUNNY ... bob

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 09 Oct 14 - 12:41 PM

An video of a happy cat appeared in AOL's news page this morning. It seems made for this thread:

http://www.aol.co.uk/video/george-the-cat-approves-of-his-owners-song/518451985/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cuk%7Cdl17%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: GUEST,Kendall
Date: 09 Oct 14 - 11:48 AM

Charlie, our black Lab. does not like music. He doesn't complain, but if I pick up the guitar or banjo, he will silently saunter off to his bed in another room.

"They laughed when I sat down to play, but they stopped when I carved my name in the Steinway."

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: Deckman
Date: 09 Oct 14 - 08:26 AM

When friends drop by to visit, I will sometimes grab my guitar and play a new song or two that I'm learning. If cat Eddy is awake, which he sometimes is, he will follow the guitar into the room with people, sit down with an expectant look on his face, and wait for me to begin to play.

If he doesn't like the piece, he will yawn and go back to bed. (cats can be unforgiving critics). bob(deckman)nelson

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: GUEST,MikeL2
Date: 09 Oct 14 - 06:59 AM

Hi

Some time ago I learned to play the harmonica. That really stirred my dogs to high pitched howling.

My wife one day came in and shouted to me to stop playing. I said it is the dogs making all the noise.

She replied " The dogs I can stand, just throw that b***** harmonica away....

Still got it but don't play it anymore.

Cheers

Mike

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 08 Oct 14 - 10:28 AM

Well, whenever I pick up my guitar in my attic office-cum-music-room, before I've even finished tuning it, a voice drifts upstairs: "shut the office door, can't you? And if you're going to sing, keep it down!"

Yes, my wife's my greatest fan :-)

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Oct 14 - 10:12 AM

A lot of animals appreciate our music. When I sing in the yard, birds always start to gather and sing. And once, when I was in the woods trying to drum along with the complex rhythm of the cicadas but not getting it, they all suddenly stopped for a few seconds and then all started again at once in perfect sync with what I was playing.

And some people don't appreciate it. If I go to my sister's house and sing, she turns on the t.v.

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: MMario
Date: 08 Oct 14 - 09:28 AM

She knows who she is.

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Oct 14 - 09:27 AM

I played piano a lot when I was a kid. We had an English pointer-mix named 'Rip' who used to love to listen - his usual position when one of us was practicing was to hop up on the sofa near the piano and sit with his chest against the back cushions and his chin resting on the top of the back of the couch so he faced us over the top and would close his eyes and enjoy it.

SRS

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: Deckman
Date: 08 Oct 14 - 07:55 AM

My cat Eddy prefers the key of "A". I can tell. He rolls on his back and starts purring! TRUE. bob(deckman)nelson

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: GUEST,MikeL2
Date: 08 Oct 14 - 06:58 AM

Hi

I have had several dogs and most have howled when I started to play the guitar and sing. I know that this is by no means unique to me.

At one time I had two black Labradors and when I played they both howled in unison....but not in harmony !!! Lol

Animals....dontcha just love em ??

Cheers

MikeL2

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: GUEST,Derrick
Date: 08 Oct 14 - 06:49 AM

My Siamese cat had musical taste,she would leave the room as soon as I picked up my melodeon,that was before I opened the case.

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: Musket
Date: 08 Oct 14 - 04:59 AM

I know, it is a problem.. Every time I pick up the guitar, screaming young ladies come and lay down in front of me.

(Must stop eating cheese before going to bed...)

My greyhound is rather discerning, he leaves the bloody room....

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: Mo the caller
Date: 08 Oct 14 - 04:10 AM

When I was a teenager learning the violin our cat would stand by my side pawing my arm when I played.
Shall we call it enthusiasm?

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 07 Oct 14 - 11:38 PM

One of our cats always likes to hear us rehearse.

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: Ebbie
Date: 07 Oct 14 - 11:16 PM

I remember when Mudcatter KT's Corky would come forward and lay his head on her knee when she got out her guitar.

Currently my little dog will curl up by my side and pretend to sleep whenever we go to music or when friends come over. He'll stay in the same position for hours.

Subject: RE: My most ardent fan
From: Elmore
Date: 07 Oct 14 - 09:50 PM

Whenever I begin to sing my Bombay cat, Raven, gives me a mean look and leaves the room. The cat has good taste.

Subject: My most ardent fan
From: Deckman
Date: 07 Oct 14 - 08:33 PM

This thread might bring some amusing stories out. I'll start it off by tellling you of my most ardent fan. I cannot pick up my guitar, which I do several times a day, without Eddy running into the music room and laying on floor in front of me.

Eddy is a cat. Black with white feet, and obviously he has an ear for good music.

It REALLY gets funny. He seems to just LOVE whatever I play and sing. If too much time goes by without music, he finds me and tries to herd me into the music room. TRUE!

What's your story ... bob(deckman)nelson