My older brother passed away a year ago today.
Listening to music was his favorite thing to do. He had all sorts of music boxes that had about nine hundred lives each; when they pooped out, he listened to cassette tapes of them and then later copies of those. They’d often play on a continuous loop all day and sometimes all night—I remember hearing “Ode to Joy” wafting up through the radiator pipes from his bedroom as I fell asleep at night as a child.
He had a very severe case of cerebral palsy. He couldn’t see, walk or talk; in the latter years he wasn’t even allowed to eat food through his mouth. But he could always hear, and he loved what he heard. He was known as the “Kicker,” because when he was happy—which was often inspired by music—he would stretch out his arms and kick his legs. As if he were dancing in his wheelchair.
Sean loved music of all kinds, but there were certain standards that played on heavy rotation. Minuet in G (Op. 14, No. 1) by Paderewski was one of these. So I’d like to play it for him today, just as we did at his funeral last year. Here it is, performed by Balázs Szokolay on the piano. Do me a favor: click play, and turn up your computer’s speakers as loud as they go. Blast it. He’ll hear it. And I bet he’ll get a kick out of it.
12 responses so far ↓
1 TimsHead // Jun 28, 2007 at 4:21 pm
This has made me sad. And yet I smiled because there’s something beautiful about it. And because it reminded me how great you are as a sister. And a family member or friend.
Plus, that is a great piece of music.
2 Natalie B // Jun 28, 2007 at 5:12 pm
I pressed play, turned up the volume and began to listen. I turned off the tv. No need to listen about the news of the day. What wonderful music! I felt like it was floating me away! And it was all the more wonderful because of the story behind it! Thank you for sharing that.
3 anth0nyc // Jun 28, 2007 at 5:37 pm
that was a really nice tribute.
he looks like an angel there, very sweet with a touch of mischieviousness
4 thinlizzy17 // Jun 29, 2007 at 4:20 am
How could this piece not make you a little bit happy? It’s making me smile for all the right reasons.
5 Jacque // Jun 29, 2007 at 4:35 am
This was wonderful. It’s so obvious how much you cared for your brother.
6 nokona1012 // Jun 29, 2007 at 5:03 am
What a beautiful and meaningful post.
7 Coccinella // Jun 29, 2007 at 8:19 am
I love it - a happy song for a sad day. I’m sure your brother is loving everyone hearing this.
8 Erika // Jun 29, 2007 at 8:46 am
Beautiful boy and sad, too. I can’t believe it, either. Please tell me how everyone is doing.
9 Boo // Jun 29, 2007 at 7:01 pm
Such a happy song and fun too. It does feel like dancing.
It has been a year already? I hope you are doing okay. You have had one heck of a year since then.
Oh this piece! It is so playful! I must play it again.
Those are some adorable curls.
He just brought a bunch of light into this room by way of you. Thank you.
10 Kathryn // Jun 30, 2007 at 7:58 am
more proof that music really is all powerful
a moving and beautiful tribute
11 fern // Jun 30, 2007 at 8:35 am
great music! thank you for sharing. its nice to be back on your site again.
12 Lynn // Jul 2, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Jeez, this is so sad. I was going to come to you to talk about WordPress, but now I’m completely out of the mood. I hope he’s enjoying music wherever he is now.
Lynn