mechanical vengeance

[gil12345]

Hi,

In the SAT Prepratation Training, I encounted the following sentence.

"I longed to learn guitar, but, like my brothers, was compelled by our determined mother to study classical piano. We had a spinet in our parlor on which my two older brothers practiced: one who struggled for perfection with pained eloquence while the other pounded with mechanical vengeance."

To be frank, I don't know what they are doing and why. Phrases like "pained eloquence" and "mechanical vengeance" are too bizarre to me.

Hoping someone can enlighten me.

Thanks

Gil

 

[PaulQ]

"pained eloquence" = in a manner that showed that he was struggling to play the spinet properly
"mechanical vengeance" = hit the keys very hard because he had lost his temper with the spinet.

 

[gil12345]

"pained eloquence" = in a manner that showed that he was struggling to play the spinet properly
"mechanical vengeance" = hit the keys very hard because he had lost his temper with the spinet.

Were they competing with each other? Were they happy with the piano practice? Since they were compelled by their mother to practice, why did they put so many efforts into it?