If a candelabra seems just a bit too formal, but you still need to shed some light on your piano keys and sheet music, you may be in need of a piano lamp. A piano lamp is designed to be attractive, but it's main function is to cast illumination onto the piano keys and the sheet music when there isn't adequate lighting.
A piano lamp can be a tall vertical lamp that sits adjacent to the piano itself, but when most people think of a piano lamp, they think of the most popular style, the type that sits on top of a piano. It can be extremely ornate or very simple, but all piano lamps are hooded to avoid direct glare for the pianist. A piano lamp is available in any any number of different shapes, sizes, and materials. Brass, chrome and other sorts of enameled metals are all popular choices for a piano lamp.
The shelf style piano lamp is usually adjustable, and many feature a weighted base to increase stability. The base might also be made of a fine quality material such as marble, to add beauty as well as function. A practical feature of a piano lamp is a counter-weighted arm, preventing the lamp from getting top heavy regardless of its positional setting.
Piano lamps can be either electrical or battery-powered; some piano lamps clip-on directly to the sheet music. An electric piano lamp is normally designed for either one or two light bulbs of 40-watts or less.
You can purchase these lamps at home furnishings stores, music stores or online. The price of a piano lamp can range from as low as $50 (US dollars) to hundreds of dollars.
Down through the years, the piano lamp has replaced the practice of using candles to shed light and add ambiance during a piano recital. Today's piano lamps may not have the same glowing effect, but they can be very lovely, and are much safer.