Did anyone else notice this article by David Sapsted in today's Daily Telegraph? ....

The identity of a man found wandering on a beach in an evening suit and who will not talk but who expertly plays piano concertos for hours is baffling police. The six foot tall man, believed to be in his 20's or 30's, has been dubbed the "piano man" since being found, soaked to the skin, on a beach on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, five weeks ago. Now in a psychiatric unit at Medway Maritime Hospital, in Gillingham, he will not speak but, when left a pen and paper, drew a Swedish flag and a picture of a piano.

When staff sat him at a piano in the hospital chapel, he played expertly for two hours and, since, has staged recitals lasting up to four hours. However, despite his picture being posted on the website of the National Missing Persons' Helpline, nobody has identified him yet, though people have come forward to say that they believe they have seen him play at concert halls throughout Europe.

Orchestras are now being contacted to see if they can identify him. "We have had a lot of calls from members of the public telling us they have seen him performing in various parts of Europe," said Ramanah Venkiah, manager of the psychiatric unit. "He has been playing the piano to a very high quality for up to four hours at a time and staff say it is a real pleasure to hear it. But we still have no idea who he is because he is not speaking."

The man was found by two police officers in the early hours on the front at Sheerness. It was raining hard and officers have been unable to ascertain if the man had been in the water. He is physically fit and has no health problems.

Despite the fact that he drew a Swedish flag, police believe that the man is probably English. He has short brown hair, is of slim build, and is believed to have suffered a mental breakdown.

Michael Camp, a care worker, said, "He may have had a traumatic experience. He appears to be a professional pianist of exceptional ability and has amazed everyone who has heard him. When he plays, all his anxiety disappears. Away from the piano, he starts to breathe very quickly and nervously shies away from people."

The plight of the man has echoes in the story of David Helfgott, the Australian pianist, who overcame a nervous breakdown to return to performing. His experience formed the basis of the 1996 film "Shine" starring Geoffrey Rush.

Anyone who recognises the "Piano Man" is asked to contact the National Missing Persons Helpline on 0208 392 4509.


The article is accompanied by a rather fuzzy photo of a fairly light haired man which reminds me for some reason of a young England cricketer.

Our form tutor was going on about this today, but we didnt belive him!!!

QUOTE (Saxophonist @ May 16 2005, 04:19 PM)

Our form tutor was going on about this today, but we didnt belive him!!!

I know, it's hard to believe Hammerklavier might have been partying too hard. But how did your form tutor know?

probably read the paper

Interesting...

Hope the man is 'claimed' soon. Sad to think that someone can not be missed. Hopefully he is being cared for physically and mentally.

I'm sure he's being well looked after, but its hard to believe that nobody knows him. Someone somewhere must know something surely.

Gosh, that's interesting! There hasn't been anything in the news about it over here (Germany)!I hope they find out who he is! Keep me posted, please!

What is also interesting and wierd is that all the labels had been cut out of his clothes. He must be very traumatised by something and I can't help thinking that when he does start to recover (which I really hope he will soon) that all this the media attention will not actually do him any favours.

I presume that's why we have not heard about until now since he was first found 5 weeks ago, and I suppose the media release of the story is a last attempt to find out who he is.

Hmmm he does look a little like Hammerklavier though but at thir-ee he is too young

Jane

Heard on the morning news today that someone in Italy recognised him as being someone from Poland!! Talk about globalisation!

nah, the guy in Italy was a Polish illegal immigrant who claims he met Piano Man in France

confused?!!

QUOTE

What is also interesting and wierd is that all the labels had been cut out of his clothes.

I hadn't heard that before.
It could simply mean that he (or someone else) got his clothes in a charity shop. People sometimes cut out the labels before they give clothes away.

I can't help thinking that if someone could identify what he was playing it might be useful - eg was it just very skilled improvisation or was it core repertoire, that sort of thing.

Maggie

Hopefully they will be able to trace his family or friends.

Has anyone seen or heard from Hammerklavier recently? He hasn't been on here much since the Birminham Kodaly day in April.

QUOTE (mrbouffant @ May 18 2005, 11:00 AM)

nah, the guy in Italy was a Polish illegal immigrant who claims he met Piano Man in France confused?!!

Totally!!

It is interesting that he is getting so much publicity - nationally and internationally. Is there anyway of getting a photo of him on this forum and including the music fraternity (global) in the search ... Christine???

QUOTE (Ayshah @ May 18 2005, 03:10 PM)

Is there anyway of getting a photo of him on this forum and including the music fraternity (global) in the search ... Christine???

You could always include a hyperlink to the BBC website, like this!

He doesn't look like hammerklavier Well I didnt think so.

QUOTE (zoda @ May 16 2005, 09:59 AM)

when left a pen and paper, drew a Swedish flag and a picture of a piano.

maybe he wanted to play a sweedish piano
is there something special about sweedish pianos?

maybe he just cant draw very well so it was the only flag he could manage

if he can draw a piano, he must be pretty good at drawing ( i can't!)

QUOTE

if he can draw a piano, he must be pretty good at drawing

yes - it was a grand woohoo and quite detailed too.

Maggie

If he tried to draw a piano and ended up drawing a grand woohoo then surely he must be a bit mad... (he might even fit in round here... )

If he wanted to draw a piano and ended up drwing a grand woohoo then he cant be that good at drawing. WHICH MAKES ME RIGHT !!!!!

please......can anyone help me? I can't remember who I am. I seem to have a recollection of life before I lost my memory. All I know is that I can play the piano but that's it. Does anyone know me? I haven't got a clue........trying to remember who I am is a bit like trying to remember solfa names in Kodaly and how to conduct backwards......I feel a bit backward at the moment. Please can anyone help...........p.s what's a Hammerklavier????????

oo eck

now we're for it!

Don't panic yet Zoda, we should be ok until his memory returns. That must have been some party.....

*hands Hammerklavier 20 Ikea meatballs doused in a creamy Swedish gravy with lashings of cranberry sauce*

Anyway it now turns out he isn't the French street artist the Polish guy in Italy thought he was

They have located him (the French street artist) safe at home in Nice wondering what all the fuss is about.

So the mystery continues.

Good point about the clothes coming from a charity shop...might not be as sinister as it first appears.

Jane

Its really sad though. He has been missing for over five weeks now and nobody seems to have missed him.

it's very sad

QUOTE (noodle @ May 19 2005, 12:25 PM)

Its really sad though. He has been missing for over five weeks now and nobody seems to have missed him.

awww. maybe they all had amnesia too.

is there anyone out there who can help me.......? I still don't know
who I am although the other day I met someone who said they are doing a dalyko course. It sort of sounded familiar but I'm not sure. Does anyone know what or who
dalyko is? There were some funny people on this course ....some geezer called Ray and a baker who had a nickname, dough. Then there was a local lass who works in John Lewis tailoring department and I think her name was Sew ( I wondered if it was Sue and maybe I misheard). There was also a posh bird who kept saying La and I guess because she must be a bit La-de- da that must be where that name comes from. The person who was telling me about it kept saying something about me but I've never heard of such a thing so I said to him that it must you but he kept saying it was me......I don't know.

What's all this about relative Solfa?? Is that related to the theory of relativity? Must be something to do with Einstein.........I don't know.....

Confused from klaverhammier land......

QUOTE (Hammerklavier @ May 20 2005, 10:36 PM)

There was also a posh bird who kept saying La

Are we talking Cilla Black or Atomic Kitten?

(surely you don't mean Col-eeeen)

QUOTE

QUOTE (Hammerklavier @ May 20 2005, 10:36 PM) There was also a posh bird who kept saying La Are we talking Cilla Black or Atomic Kitten? (surely you don't mean Col-eeeen)

Posh? Cilla Black? what a thought...

*trying to imagine Cilla Black doing a really plummy accent...*

hehehehehehe

QUOTE (jonscott14 @ May 18 2005, 12:48 PM)

QUOTE (zoda @ May 16 2005, 09:59 AM) when left a pen and paper, drew a Swedish flag and a picture of a piano. maybe he wanted to play a sweedish piano is there something special about sweedish pianos?

umm i dont mean any embarrassment but the special thing is that they are actually spelt Swedish

I think I know who he is.....isn't he the Finnish conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste !!

http://www.musicfinland.com/classical/fmq/...d_sibelius.html

You have to page down a bit to get the pic of Saraste, but I'm sure I see a resemblance .

Jane

or was it Cyrilla Black????

QUOTE (Hammerklavier @ May 20 2005, 10:36 PM)

Does anyone know what or who dalyko is? There were some funny people on this course ....some geezer called Ray and a baker who had a nickname, dough. Then there was a local lass who works in John Lewis tailoring department and I think her name was Sew ( I wondered if it was Sue and maybe I misheard). There was also a posh bird who kept saying La and I guess because she must be a bit La-de- da that must be where that name comes from. The person who was telling me about it kept saying something about me but I've never heard of such a thing so I said to him that it must you but he kept saying it was me......I don't know. What's all this about relative Solfa?? Is that related to the theory of relativity?

Dalyko is something to do with Doctor Who in Spain!

The course was about relative solfa, so my aun-ti went too and my cat fa-la.

Hope this helps jog your memory a bit Hammerklavier!!

QUOTE (noodle @ May 21 2005, 09:28 PM)

Dalyko is something to do with Doctor Who in Spain!

QUOTE (Hammerklavier @ May 21 2005, 01:54 PM)

or was it Cyrilla Black????

DO YOU MIND????!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone heard anything about the mystery piano man? I have been so busy this week I thought I might have missed some news about him.

QUOTE

Anyone heard anything about the mystery piano man? I have been so busy this week I thought I might have missed some news about him.

I haven't seen anything new for a few days. I wonder how he's getting on - there had been a huge response to the appeal so let's hope someone made a useful connection.

Maggie

QUOTE (Saxophonist @ May 18 2005, 08:46 PM)

If he wanted to draw a piano and ended up drwing a grand woohoo then he cant be that good at drawing. WHICH MAKES ME RIGHT !!!!!

What is a Grand Woohoo?

you will have to read the holly williams thread

QUOTE (maggiemay @ May 27 2005, 09:13 PM)

QUOTE Anyone heard anything about the mystery piano man? I have been so busy this week I thought I might have missed some news about him. I haven't seen anything new for a few days. I wonder how he's getting on - there had been a huge response to the appeal so let's hope someone made a useful connection. Maggie

No there has been no identifications I have heard of. He remains a mystery.

It certainly is strange that no-one has missed him what with all the publicity.

The last I heard someone was hoping to do a film about him.

Jane

QUOTE (Saxophonist @ May 27 2005, 09:27 PM)

you will have to read the holly williams thread

Where can I find that?

QUOTE (Oddball @ May 27 2005, 10:08 PM)

QUOTE (Saxophonist @ May 27 2005, 09:27 PM) you will have to read the holly williams thread Where can I find that?

Type "Holly Williams" into the search box and press "go"

But be warned its over 1000 messages long and they're all gibberish (but witty gibberish )

Jane

I read in the Sunday Times last week that he wasn't actually the virtuoso pianist people first thought- someone who knows something about music came to listen to him and he's apparently 'just a good amateur' who plays snatches of Tchaikovky mixed in with Lennon and McCartney repeatedly! Of course, you can't believe everything you read in the papers....
I feel really sorry for the poor guy- he's obviously had a hard time.

QUOTE (hgirl @ May 27 2005, 10:58 PM)

I read in the Sunday Times last week that he wasn't actually the virtuoso pianist people first thought

I read the same article. Felt very sorry for him from the picture, he looked very lost and afraid...

QUOTE (hgirl @ May 27 2005, 10:58 PM)

I read in the Sunday Times last week that he wasn't actually the virtuoso pianist people first thought

ahhhh, so he's NOT Hammerklavier then

Jane