Complex sentence: William D. Drake was born in Stock, Essex and began playing the harmonium as soon as he was able to stand: he began learning the piano at five, training by playing duets with his grandmother before taking formal lessons.
Split into simpler sentences: William D. Drake was born in Stock, Essex and began playing the harmonium as soon as he was able to stand. He began learning the piano at the age of five, training by playing duets with his grandmother before taking formal lessons.