My earliest memories of my mother are her playing the piano in our front sitting room. She had studied piano for 15 years when she was growing up and, though both my parents played well, Mum had a beautiful touch that Dad didn't have.
I can remember sitting underneath the piano keyboard, next to my mother's feet, while she played and sang, "Mighty Like a Rose" - and crying my eyes out. I'd be about 2 at the time. I also loved to hear her play Grieg's Piano Concerto and the slow movement of that still makes me cry. I think I was a rather damp child when it came to music. Oh, sugar it, I still am.
