Birba, please stay around

[brogers70]

Birba, I really enjoy your posts, and I learned a lot from your Waldstein video and your approach to Becky, even if she was not who she seemed. You play beautifully and both your praise and critiques in the audition room are generous, specific and constructive.

Since I actually am an older beginner who practices a lot and can play moderately well (at least for an older beginner), I was inspired by the guy I thought Roger was. I should have noticed a couple of things - real Marines don't call themselves ex-Marines (once a Marine, always a Marine) and he claimed to have gotten a bit of shrapnel in his hand during the first Gulf War, but in fact the Marines were kept off-shore as a reserve threat and didn't get into the fighting that time around, because it was over so fast. But I wanted to believe his story, so I wasn't skeptical enough.

In any case, I hope you stay around. I've learned a lot from you and others here. One feels stupid after being duped, perhaps, but it's a sign of kindness and generosity that one can be duped in the first place; and the only way to be sure one will never get taken is to become a cranky hermit.

Bill

[emill]

Re: Scriabin - Etude in D# Minor, Op. 8 No. 12
« Reply #21 on: March 15, 2011, 09:04:34 PM »   

This is a real scandal.  I can't believe I was duped into this. 
I just can't believe it.  It almost makes me want to leave this site.  crap.

Birba

=     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =

I think BIRBA has been misunderstood.  He never said he was living ....  he said - "It almost makes me want to leave this site."  ... which means to me he is not leaving .... almost want to...  is the key phrase. 

Personally, Birba has been extremely helpful, generous and unselfish going to the extent OF MAKING TEACHING VIDEOS  for some of the posts of my son.  He has also given so much constructive advice to so many here.  He is an ASSET to pianostreet.  I do not think that the ladypianist-becky-rodger episode is enough for him to leave and besides so many of us were on the same boat too. 

Oh well ....  I was wishing ladypianist, Becky8898 and rodger something were real.  I have to admit they infused a good amount of energy into pianostreet .... Becky and ladypianist made me and my wife feel good for their nice comments on Enzo's (my son) videos here .....  wheeewww ..... it was really nice while it lasted!!       WE WERE ALL DUPED!!!

"with all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams .... it is still a beautiful world"

[ted]

One question still remains. Who was actually playing Islamey and why was the ending cut off ? Whoever it was plays it very nicely.

I'm just an old improviser but Sospiro is in my small classical repertoire and I got quite a lot out of your video, Birba. You're a good teacher.

It's a pity some people have pathetically little to do with their time except perpetrate deceptions, but the whole episode isn't without humour. Joyce Hatto rides again !

[ongaku_oniko]

And who was playing the polonaise in A flat with a flat note at 2 minute something


and the debussy didn't sound like something from a pro either.

[thinkgreenlovepiano]

=     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =     =

I think BIRBA has been misunderstood.  He never said he was living ....  he said - "It almost makes me want to leave this site."  ... which means to me he is not leaving .... almost want to...  is the key phrase.  

Personally, Birba has been extremely helpful, generous and unselfish going to the extent OF MAKING TEACHING VIDEOS  for some of the posts of my son.  He has also given so much constructive advice to so many here.  He is an ASSET to pianostreet.  I do not think that the ladypianist-becky-rodger episode is enough for him to leave and besides so many of us were on the same boat too.  

Oh well ....  I was wishing ladypianist, Becky8898 and rodger something were real.  I have to admit they infused a good amount of energy into pianostreet .... Becky and ladypianist made me and my wife feel good for their nice comments on Enzo's (my son) videos here .....  wheeewww ..... it was really nice while it lasted!!      WE WERE ALL DUPED!!!

"with all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams .... it is still a beautiful world"

Even so an appreciation thread for birba wouldn't hurt. He deserves one (:
And whoever becky/roger etc was, Enzo deserved those nice comments. There may be 'fake prodigies', but Enzo is a real one =D

And I really like that quote. It is a fact to remember. I've been thinking a lot about the "shams, drudgery, and broken dreams" in the world lately...

And I do wonder who was actually playing those pieces. Maybe we'll never know =/ How did hakki find the Scriabin video?

Anyway, I'm done with this "pianostreet conspiracy". Let us move on  

[ongaku_oniko]

I think it's because hakky is becky and just got bored of this game, or ran out of ideas :p

[perfect_pitch]

C'mon Birba... you crazy bastard - we all need you. Hell - even you and me have had good conversations at times...

As much as I hate to say it, I believed that the first two posts by the Becky user seemed Legit, however I did have some suspicions over how much music she was posting - I mean, She had the 3rd movement of a piano concerto, a Chopin Etude, Polonaise as well as about 10 other pieces...

No one 12 years of age at school would honestly have the time to learn and post that in less than 2 months as well as worry about school.

[pianisten1989]

No birba! Don't leave!

Or maybe birba is becky? :O

*feels really clever*

[bustthewave]

No birba! Don't leave!

Or maybe birba is becky? :O

*feels really clever*

What if it ends up being Thompson something er ether

Ha, I just made myself laugh.

[birba]

No, of course I'm not leaving.  I really enjoy this site, listening to others, discovering new talent, aka Becky, remeniscing with old colleagues , aka lady pianist,  giving advice to ex-marines, and what not.  I can grin about being duped.  I've always been very gullible.  Thanks for this thread guys!

[uthacalthing]

Birba, I don’t normally spend time on internet forums at all, and joined here recently only because I was moved by the enthusiasm and kindness of posters like you (or, reading through the archives, bernhard). The fact that you are a former concert pianist and what not is secondary. Your willingness to share your love of music and your experience with others is what makes this place worth visiting in the first place. Thank you again, on behalf of all the "lurkers" who have learned so much just by reading through your correspondence with someone who, alas, never existed.

(By the way, I spent half an hour last night listening to all recordings of Islamey I could find on the internet to try to spot the “source”, and it was a very educational experience. Best ear training in a while. Should search for a recording with a round of applause at the end....)

[tb230]

I second this one. I have been a 'lurker' on PF for a while and also completely fell for this little joke. However, I don't feel particularly bad about being conned, and I think there has been a lot of good discussion and comments following these posts. After all, they were never nasty, rude, repetitive or particularly negative....and I am still following some of Becky's practise advice
I would also like to thank Birba, I have enjoyed your suggestions and videos immensely, your posts are like an online piano master class. 

(I am wondering about copyrights, though - are personal videos/performances posted on youtube covered in some way?)

 

[littletune]

No, of course I'm not leaving.  I really enjoy this site, listening to others, discovering new talent, aka Becky, remeniscing with old colleagues , aka lady pianist,  giving advice to ex-marines, and what not.  I can grin about being duped.  I've always been very gullible.  Thanks for this thread guys!

  I'm REEEEAAALLLYYY glad you're not leaving Birba!!!    I mean you're even MORE COOL than Lady Pianist!!!     

[birba]

(By the way, I spent half an hour last night listening to all recordings of Islamey I could find on the internet to try to spot the “source”, and it was a very educational experience. Best ear training in a while. Should search for a recording with a round of applause at the end....)

I did, too!

[ongaku_oniko]

I don't know, but the islamey just really sounds like something an old lady would play :p

It actually made me really sure ladypianist was an old lady cuz that's just exactly what it sounded liek to me.

No birba! Don't leave!

Or maybe birba is becky? :O

*feels really clever*

thoughts:
Imagine Birba was the one behind all this, and the other vids with the mistakes was him purposely makng it  (Just kidding, Birba, you're awesome, I just used you because you're the best pianist here, and has that ability :p)

thoughts2:
imagine if becky was real, and this was just a big coincidence

Go check the scriabin thread again, I came up with this idea waaaay before you :p

[zeusje]

Djee I also feel tricked, I am more lurking that actively discussing, but I followed a lot on this forum the latest months.

Guess when people have a video with the music will make it much harder to fake.

Weird, lets hope the forum can go back to normal.....