Albert’s wife of 47 years was a concert pianist who loved her 1929 Grotrian Steinweg grand.

After she died, Albert moved it to the beach and placed her body on the strings. Floating away on the tide, the gasoline-soaked Steinweg burned quickly, and 260 strings exploded in a funereal fanfare.

Michael Coolen is a pianist, composer, actor, performance artist, and writer who lives in Corvallis, Oregon.