Mood Music: A Guide to Interrupting Mom at the Piano

Listen up, kids. Dad says Mom plays the piano a lot when she's stressed. Some people run, some people eat, some people kickbox, some people shop. Mom, she works it out through her fingers.

Learn to associate certain genres and composers with how she's feeling before deciding when you can interrupt and when you should give it a rest.

Scales: Really? Now? She just barely sat down at the keyboard. She thought the coast was clear, that everyone's needs were met for the time being. Sigh. Oh, well. Ask away. Her mind's on auto pilot. Just don't be surprised if she accents every fourth syllable or expects you to talk fasterandfasterandfaster.

Bach, especially his two- and three-part inventions: Mom's trying to figure something out. (She's been playing Bach to excess lately.) She needs balance. Is she picking up tempo? Ooh, then she really craves order. Be careful. No matter what you ask, she'll tell you to clean your room.

Beethoven: Wait for a bit. Listen for repeated passages. Ah, did the harsh minor key just resolve into a calming, uplifting melody? Good timing. She'll greet you gladly. Hurry -- you have four measures.

Hymns: This is a good time. Based on doing prelude at church, she can carry on an entire conversation while playing. Bonus: no one else in the room will be listening.

Bartok: Back away. She hates Bartok!

Chopin: She's probably frustrated at her limitations. Show what a competent child you are by solving your own problem. That'll restore her confidence.

Broadway: She's sentimental. If you're arguing when she plays Phantom, it will skew her fun memory of playing the piano with Uncle Matt in high school to scare trick-or-treaters. As for Les Miserables, come in during "Castle on a Cloud," and say how much you remember her singing that to you when you were a baby. She'll love that. The world will be yours.

Haydn: If nothing else, she'll remember "Papa Haydn's" celebrated cheerful nature and be glad to stop and chat with you. She might rope you into a playing a duet, however, to strengthen the musical family bond. Be warned.

Grieg: Her imagination is running wild. Ogres, butterflies, creepy-sounding lullabies? Oh, my. Just listen.

Mozart: This is a great time to start your math homework, right?

Debussy: Her favorite. Each note is the pat of the paint brush creating dreamy scenes in France. Go ahead, interrupt the reverie. It's fleeting anyway.