The Piano Man

Post Reply New Topic

I don't know if anyone else here has heard about the currently ongoing mystery of the "Piano Man":

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story ... 98,00.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4550069.stm

No one seems to know who he is, but i couldn't help wondering if he was an autistic savant...

In another news story it was mentioned that all the labels had been cut out of his clothes, which they thought was evidence of some sort of plot to hide his identity, but i couldn't help being reminded of how many autistic spectrum people (including myself as a kid) have to cut the labels out of their clothes because of oversensitivity to textures/skin irritation... anyone else think he might be an autistic man?

Wow that is so interessting.

I thought this topic was going to be about the Billy Joel song, but this is an interesting tale too... sort of reminds me of Kasper Hauser or something.

That's what I thought when I first heard about him...

Quite possible...

I read an article about him yesterday with the information you mentionned (not talking, drew a concert piano, started to play with genius, composed a genuine artwork, cut out labels) and I thought that he was maybe autistic.
This is interesting.

Fascinating article. But, um... I could be wrong, but I don't think Dissociative Amnesia (as it's referred to in the US) ever contains loss of speech. The Piano Man, from what little one can know through an article, is quite mute. This would be an incredibly unusual feature of Amnesia as I understand it.

I would agree. He may be somewhere along the Spectrum. His high anxieties could be accounted for by the high rate of Anxiety Disorders in the Spectrum, and his talent could very well be a savant talent, especially if Mr. Amos is correct in thinking that the Piano Man is not a professional musician but is perhaps self-taught or had some lessons (though I would bet on self-taught). He plays for his own enjoyment so it said. An important quality to savant talents.

Even if he wasn't autistic, I doubt it would do any harm to try the very nonconfrontational, indirect communication techniques that might be used on an autie with severe anxiety. Also I wonder if they've tried sign language. Verbal communication might be throwing him into overload, especially if it's combined with some sort of trauma.

Did anyone else notice that in his drawing of the grand piano, he very carefully outlined all the keys in their correct order? I didn't count but I wouldn't be surprised if he got the exact number right. Also the circle with complete scribbled darkness outside it reminds me very much of a type of drawing Donna Williams once mentioned seeing often with autistics: the black page with a white circle or box inside it - representing inner safety and outside chaos.

Yes, doing such detail from memory. Made me think of the term "eidetic".

Wow. What an awesome story. Someone somewhere must know who he is.

HIs name is Steven Villa Masson. He's a French street musician.

here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4557619.stm is the story.

I expect the feature film's already being pitched.

I also thought that he may be autistic.

I read in the newspaper that his drawing of the piano was correct, down to the number of keys, so you're quite right, pyraxis. I also read that, not only does he not speak, but he does not attempt to communicate in any way. Then when I read that all the labels were cut out of his clothes, that made me suspect autism even more strongly.

But I also read that he seems able to look after himself, and prepares his own lunch. It would be unusual for someone who is non-verbal to be so self-sufficient.

It's definitely a possibility though, and you can never be quite sure that all you read in the newspapers is true. I just hope there will be apositive outcome for him.

Mutism is not unheard of in Autism (though with normal cognition this would be Selective Mutism, but...)

I was wondering... Perhaps his care giver passed away or something and the only person who would be looking for him would have been that (now deceased) person??

Maybe not. Just thinking.

I wondered if something like that had happened. It could even be that he was abandoned. It would be really sad, but his parents (if they were his carers) may be elderly and might not be getting any support. It may have been one parent trying to do it all alone.

Oops it wasn't that man what I said after all.

Still unidentified.

I read about him in todays newspaper. . . .interesting.

I've been following this story since I first spotted it in the newspaper several days ago. Since then his story has appeared on both national and local TV news bulletins here in the UK, but despite all appeals, they still havent identified him. It would seem he isn't Steven Villa Masson after all: a radio bulletin I heard said this was definite, since the real Masson had been located alive and Well in Nice in the south of France. But the TV and teletext news services dont seem quite so certain. Someone in Italy sent a video of a pianist they think is the same man; the police suggest there are similarities, but to my eye the guy in the video and the photo of the Piano Man they have shown regularly do not look very alike.
My first thought too was the man might be an autistic savant. But what puzzled me was that although the medical and social workers . not being musically trained, seemed to have no idea of what he was actually playing or in fact whether he was truly a virtuoso or not (there was some suggestion he was more of a talented amateur than a professional musician) , nobody seems to have thought to call in a musical expert to listen to him and to give an opinion. Also. they keep saying he is trying to communicate using his music, and is actually very nervous of people approaching him; so why not get another skilled pianist to play for him, too? He might relax more and open up to someone who shares his musical ability!
Its a fascinating story. I'll keep following it.

Glenn


[/i]