Piano Massage

   A recent conversation with Grok . . . 

  I recently heard a world class pianist practice and perform in a very alive acoustic space and had the impression his touch produced very rounded pulses of sound in the room hitting my body and it felt like a kind of massage. It that possible or did I imagine it.?

     Your experience is entirely possible and not just imagination. A world-class pianist playing in a lively acoustic space can create sound waves that resonate in ways that feel physical, almost like a massage. Piano notes, especially when played with nuanced touch, produce complex vibrations—rounded pulses, as you describe—that travel through the air and interact with your body. Low frequencies, in particular, can penetrate deeply, creating a tactile sensation as they resonate in your chest or skin. The acoustics of the space amplify this, making the sound enveloping, almost immersive. Your body was likely responding to these vibrations, blending auditory and physical sensations, which can feel therapeutic or massage-like. This phenomenon is well-documented in music therapy and acoustics, where sound waves are known to influence physical and emotional states.

     He was rehearsing and performing Ravel's piano concerto for left hand - so you comment on bass notes quite apt!

    That's a fascinating detail! Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand is a perfect piece for those deep, resonant bass notes you felt. The left-hand writing emphasizes the lower register, where the piano's timbre is rich and powerful, sending out those pulsating vibrations that can physically envelop you. Ravel's genius in exploiting the instrument's range, especially in a live acoustic space, would absolutely amplify that massage-like sensation. Your body was tuning into the sonic heft of those left-hand lines—pretty incredible experience!