My long lost dad, the woodenflute player

[s1m0n]

I'm an adoptee, and only this summer I managed to find my birth mother after 46 years apart. She told me the name of my father, and a couple of weeks ago I contacted him. He sent me a DVD of a documentary film he'd made in the 70s about his solo voyage around the world.

At one point in it, there's some familiar-sounding music, and then the film cuts to him playing what is either a bansuri or a keyless wooden flute. I didn't recognize the tune but his voyage began in Brittany and while it doesn't sound like a breton dance tune it could easily be the melody of a breton or french folksong.

[Nanohedron]

What a discovery that must be!

I have my granddad's fiddle - unplayable now and hanging on the wall - but I never heard him play it when he was alive. He was born and grew up in New Brunswick, so I can entertain guesses as to what kind of music he played, but since as a youngster I never thought to ask, and on later inquiry Mom couldn't tell me, I'll never know, and guesses are all they'll ever be. You have a treasure, there.

[Doug_Tipple]

Thanks for sharing, Simon.

[weedie]

Finding your long lost Mum must be a fantastic thing to happen to a fellow....congratulations Simon,you must be very happy.

[pipersgrip]

That is so cool and interesting. This would make for a fascinating Nature vs. Nurture study paper.

[Denny]

That is interesting.

Congrats on being able to find both of them. My first wife and her brother managed three out of the four.

Will you be able to ask him about the flute and tune?

[LorenzoFlute]

Nice.
After taking the flute I discovered that my great grandfather was a professional flute player in some orchestra in Sicily. I've no idea though if he played Boehm or simple system, wooden or metal...

[Steampacket]

Yes, thanks for sharing Simon. I found my dad after 56 years, so I can understand you're going through some changes, and there is a lot to take in and understand. All the best.

[pflipp]

What a remarkable story indeed. Congrats!

[mutepointe]

That was sweet.

[an seanduine]

Astonishing. Good luck in getting grounded with your new found relationships.

Bob

[Lar]

Friend of mine, a tremendous guitar and wooden flute player, found his birth mother and two half-brothers a couple of years ago.
They had never met, and he had no idea even that he had siblings.
Turns out his half brother is also a guitar player, as well as builder of high-end guitars. Reckon its in the genes.

[s1m0n]

Here's a screengrab. Just in case anyone doubted it really was the 70s. And for the record, I'm a few years older now than he was then, and have more more hair but less beard. And I've never once sailed around the world.



If anyone recognises him, please keep it under your hat. I'm not trying to out him here.

[oldflutefan]

Hey Simon-
There's a lot of us out there.
I found my birth Dad when I was 42. It's distinctly wierd, having an adult-only relationship with someone when there is so much in common.
I'm one of those who takes genetically very much after one parent, and it's him- I am now convinced from personal experience that not only physical traits are heritable, but all the rest, too- temperament, taste, habit-tendancies.
He is a restorer of antique furniture. When we first met in the flesh, it was disconcerting to see him picking at his thumb in exactly the same way I have always done. He hums about the palce as I do, and mutters explosively (when a drawer sticks or something) using the same words, even. Loves music, sings, cooks......supresses wobbles-
It is both reassuring, and lovely, and slightly odd. Would not give it a thought if he had brought me up.He and I had radically different upbringings; I am pretty different from my adoptive family. Nature Rocks.