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Sunset piano

Artist Mauro Ffortissimo plays the piano for a crowd in Half Moon Bay. The piano has been perched overlooking the ocean, and city officials have given Ffortissimo until Thursday to remove it.

Artist Mauro Ffortissimo plays the piano for a crowd in Half Moon Bay. The piano has been perched overlooking the ocean, and city officials have given Ffortissimo until Thursday to remove it.   (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Baby grand pianos aren’t supposed to be out on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Most cities don’t allow it. Most pianos don’t respond well to the salt air and the damp winds. But this instrument -- at 90, somewhere around the end of its useful life -- has been perched overlooking the ocean in Half Moon Bay for the last 10 days. READ STORY

Playing for a crowd

On Sunday Ffortissimo plans to burn the piano.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Music at sunset

Thursday will be the piano’s last scheduled bluff-side concert along the Coastside Trail at the end of Kelly Avenue. Friday, Ffortissimo said, he has been invited to play the instrument at the Half Moon Bay Yacht Club.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Sunset at Half Moon Bay

“The idea of the burning,” Ffortissimo said, “is a cremation, to liberate the piano from its physical form. I just hope it won’t be a `Spare the Air’ day.”  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Listening to music

Not everyone is as happy as Ffortissimo about the piano’s upcoming freedom.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Piano keys

The salt air has hurt Estey’s sound.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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