There’s a very mumsnet conversation happening on my train…

[UpperLowerMiddleClass]

Two mums discussing their primary school aged children. Distinct frenemy vibes. Of course it goes without saying their initial conversation covered just how well their children are doing academically.

Discussion then moved on to extra curricular activities. Mum A proudly saying what grade piano her daughter is doing, how she’s playing violin in the school orchestra etc, when Mum B pulls out a trump card - her daughter is excelling at the harp! But it’s all such a bother, wouldn’t you know? The logistics of transporting the harp, the cost of replacement strings etc.

Mum A tries to rally with a swerve towards sports and there’s mention of her son making the school hockey team. But I can tell her heart’s not really in it. Deep down she knows she can’t compete with the travails of harp logistics. Mum B has won this round.

And before anyone asks why I’m being so nosy, or why I have nothing better to do: Their conversation is LOUD and PROJECTING. I can’t ignore them. I’d love to be immersed in my book but instead I’m now learning all about the intricacies of harp upkeep and maintenance.

I didn't know that the harp was the national instrument of Wales.

I'd automatically associate it with Ireland where it is also the national instrument (the Celtic harp).

Maybe it's the Guinness ads.

Who would win in a Boom Off - a rich English public schoolboy now grown up, or an American who has got their first passport and is doing “Europe” in 5 days?

I’ve just remembered a slightly older daughter of a family friend of ours learned the harp as a teenager and had an actual harp. She was quite talented at it and was at private school. Don’t think she plays it now though.

lol I know a harp mum! Shes exactly like that. Same issues re portability of the harp and how expensive it is. It has seven pedals you know! She's loaded. Private income. No job. You can't compete.

I wish DS 2 hadn’t given up piano , but like most people he just couldn’t handle the practice and we didn’t have room for one ourselves. He only achieved a pass at grade one and that was tough enough.
Like so many things you need the drive and the passion to carry on or just natural ability..

I did learn cello, but gave up as it was a pain to carry on the crowded school bus! I still sometimes say things like "Oh, that's a nice portable instrument" if someone says they play (say) the piccolo.

There is a tone and tambor to the public school educated that projects across continents.

Americans just tend to reach only as far as they can see.

Hahahahaha brilliant. It must be useful learning the harp, in some ways. You can always go and work as a wedding musician. At least it's one job that can't be replaced by AI.

So recognisable!

I'm actually wondering if I know the harp parent!😂

Yes, I was going to post the same thing. Lots of schools offer harp lessons here in Wales.

Yes and they can be rented not bought so you don't have to be able to afford to buy a harp.

What fun!

I'm struggling to think what could trump a harp!

A Theremin perhaps?

Bit jealous. All I got on the train yesterday was 4 shouty drunk men stinking the place up with alcohol fumes, discussing a fight they had been involved in in London loudly on the phone to someone who had seemingly passed out before getting there due to excessive drinking. Said friend was now stranded somewhere near London Bridge which made them all laugh and shout "fuckin' 'ell 'ees fuckin' done it AGAIN!" about 20 times.

How about the bagpipes?

I’ve often wondered whether there are parents that have agreed to the kids learning the double bass in terms of practicalities.

I have a very passive agressive retired neighbour who is always asking after my children’s current academic prowess only to cut off the end of my sentence and crow about her now adult children who were all prodigies and now terribly successful but all have awful spouses.

Bemused when she spotted my 8yo DD w/a recorder and proudly told me her daughter played harp SO well that at 15 her harp teacher even left his wife for her and it got in the papers and that’s why her daughter took a year off and did her GCSE’s a year later 😱 Baffled this was presented as an achievement?!!

The recorder was big when I was at my rough east London school. They would have assemblies with a group of them playing , not that badly either.

A concert harp is a very different beast to a Welsh harp! It requires a Volvo Estate or similar to transport it!!

What a fabulous stealth boast 😂.

That's the sign of a true gentleman, that is. Someone who knows how to play the bagpipes, but chooses not to.

I’d rather listen to a harp than the bag pipes! Must be hard to learn , but the sound of them winds me up no end.

😂

See we don’t have that sort of discussion up by us (not the Cotswolds/not the Midlands aka no man’s land).

On the bus yesterday: “He’s taking his life in is hands if he goes round my bruvvers” caught my attention but sadly just before my stop so that was it.

An acquaintance of mine had her child play the French horn because she believed there would be less competition for the child to get into the national youth orchestra ….. it didn’t matter to her that the child didn’t want to play the French horn ……..

we're terribly upper middle-class and we want the whole carriage to know

(but we also don't like each other very much)

My sister has TWO harps! And she’s never heard of Mumsnet…mind you she doesn’t have kids so no surprise.