Bethesda Fountain in the Rain - Seph Stanek in Central Park

When I was growing up, my mom and dad would sit in the living room whenever I practiced the piano. Sometimes I'd even give evening recitals at my house, charging my parents admission fees and for concessions from their kitchen. Almost every time I sat down to play, my mom would kindly request a piece called "Fountain in the Rain" by William Gillock. It didn't matter how advanced my piano skills became; I'd rattle off difficult Debussy, Rachmaninov, and Beethoven compositions, and she'd always like the practice session or home concert to include at least one performance of "Fountain in the Rain," when she would close her eyes on the couch and enjoy the tinkling music.

I live in New York City now, far away from her in South Carolina, and it's been a long time since I've been able to sit down and play this piece for her. So for Mother's Day this year, I decided to make a video of me playing it interspersed with footage of a real fountain in the rain. Where else do I turn but to Central Park's iconic, majestic Bethesda Fountain?

I waited for DAYS outside on the Bethesda terrace, morning to night, when the weather forecast predicted rain to capture some footage. The rain never actually happened, only slight misting. As Mother's Day approached, I became more and more anxious that it wasn't actually going to happen and that my idea for a gift for her would be ruined. On the last day of predicted rain, I showed up to the fountain at 6:30am (something I would never normally do), checked my phone, and saw that the chance of precipitation had fallen from 70% to 10%... I still waited it out, and at the height of my despair around 11am, I felt a tiny raindrop land on the back of my neck. A few minutes later, I got some of the most glorious footage of the Bethesda Fountain that I've ever seen.

I'm so thankful to my parents for giving my piano lessons as a child.

I love you, Mom. I hope you can enjoy this video not just on Mother's Day, but all year round; and for everyone else, I hope this inspires you to do something sweet for the people in your life that you love.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

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Видео Bethesda Fountain in the Rain - Seph Stanek in Central Park канала Joseph Stanek