6/9/2004: 106 Chinese pianos

Children play 160 pianos simultaneously at a public square in Hangzhou, China, to promote the seventh China Arts Festival -- which opens 100 days later.

The thunderstom cloud seemed to come out of nowhere. Oh well, a little rain never hurt a piano, right?

Graphical illustration of the power of mass production -- pianos and kids.

An hour later, you'll want to hear them again...

holy smokes! :eek: thats a lot of pianos and kids! what a racket!

but what's the point?

also some of the pianos have 2 kids on them

And the tune they played? "Chopsticks."

[SIZE=1]remember to tip your waitstaff[/size]

These Chinesse. :D

So this is like the festival of the 100 days before the actual day.(hmm, do they celebrate the new month's? hao abaout tthe niew daiys???)

The first thing that came to my mind was the movie The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953)

It's sad that this enormously entertaining children's fantasy film goes almost unseen today. It is the only live action feature film that the late great Dr. Suess was involved in. The story involves young Bart, a free spirited little boy who is forced into piano lessons dictated by the pretentious, snobby Dr. Terwilliker (Hans Conried at his nasally best!) In his dreams, he imagines this horrible teacher runs a prison like institute where prisoners are forced to play a silly, large piano meant for 500 piano players all at once. The film has wonderful dialog, crazy musical numbers with great lyrics. Two of my favorite songs in this film is the baratone executioner, and Dr. T's gleeful song about dressing up. Oh, and there's a reference to the atomic bomb that is just too gosh-darned funny! This loopy classic has a nice message, mostly aimed at adults- take children more seriously, and let them be children. The last shot of the film has Bart running off to play sports. A perfect happy ending.

Memorable Quotes from
5,000 Fingers of Dr. T., The (1953)
Doctor Terwilliker: Is it atomic?
Bart Collins: Yes sir, VERY atomic!

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Mrs. Collins: The work for the happy finger method must go on.

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Bart: I don't think the piano is my instrument.
Dr. Terwilliker: What other instruments are there, pray tell? Scratchy violins, screechy piccolos, nauseating trumpets, et cetera, et cetera?

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Bart Collins: See? Now do you believe me?
August Zabladowski: We should always believe children. We should even believe their lies.

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Dr. Terwilliker: "the idiotic cock-eyed flum-dummery"

Did I mention they made you wear silly hats?




And the multiple keyboards

Hey, "choipsticks" in Chinese is Kuaizi (pronounced Quiedza), wonder if the tune is different as well.