The strange case of the European Parliament's piano

In early 2009 the Estonian government made a generous gift to the European Parliament of a piano. The idea was that this impressive instrument would be a valuable resource that would enable more musical events to be held, chiefly in the Yehudi Menuhin space - effectively the parliament's concert hall.
Last night some 300 people witnessed a programme of J.S. Bach in support of the 'Listen to the Pulse of the Planet' initiative. It was judged by all to be a great success.
But behind the scenes there were problems that threatened to derail the event. Parliament officials had re-designated the piano. It is no longer a musical instrument, it is now officially a piece of furniture, and as such cannot be moved or used as a piano.
One MEP told EU Reporter "This is absolutely absurd. It is also an insult to the generosity of the Estonian government, and is disrespectful of the memory and legacy of Sir Yehudi himself. Are they mad?"
Fortunately, since the inception of the parliament's Classical Music Intergroup under the auspices of Estonian MEP Kristiina Ojuland awareness of classical music has risen, and a strong network of devotees has developed. Strings were pulled, and the concert went ahead with a wonderful concert featuring Ukrainian pianist Dmitri Sukhovienko (pictured) to rapturous applause!

Anna van Densky