Dobra glasba

Ah yes…”good music” while we’re waiting for New Grandson to be born.

We were treated to some major dobra glasba last night. That, and some fun conversation with our good friend Bob, who lives with his wife (and my BFF) Kay in Slovenija for six months out of every year. (Kay was out of town last night and couldn’t join us.)

Bob has been busy over there across the big water: not just teaching, but also learning to play the accordion. And not just any accordion, mind, but a diatonic, bi-tonal Melodija Mengeš Harmonike.

Also known as a “button box” (notice the absence of a piano keyboard on the side), it has a wonderful “old world” oompah polka band sound. Delightful! I was getting dinner ready, and heard him playing it as he walked up the backyard sidewalk. I knew our “traveling musician” had arrived.

After dinner, we sat on the back porch and enjoyed a concert:

The instrument is physically beautiful, with ornate markings. This one belonged to Bob’s uncle (his family is of Slovenian descent). Some cursory research reveals that these works of art are quite dear. Wow.

And what a gorgeous sound. So ethnic and happy. Most fun part, though: Bob let the Fink have a go:

Crazy. It cries out against every pianistic tendency in my rickety old body. Intervals of fourths and fifths in the left hand are just one key away; thirds in the right hand are adjacent. I simply could *not* get the hang. Bizarro…

So yeah, I was pretty much horrible, but I told Bob to leave it with me for a week and then come back. (Yeah, like I need another project…)

Happy Finkday, finally.