We don't learn a lot about James and Mary's life together before Mary's illness. If you examine the piano in the hotel's restaurant, though, James's thoughts offer a charming little detail:
There's a piano here. I remember how much Mary liked to play the piano. She wasn't very good... But I still loved to hear her play. That was so long ago, before we were even married. Why am I thinking of that now...
In the Silent Hill 2 remake, James can play the first few notes of 'Magdalene' on the piano, very slowly. I like to think that Mary tried to teach him how to play a little.
Wait, is the song 'Magdalene' actually intended to be Mary playing the piano?? It would make sense; it's a simple piece and the timing on the notes feels a little hesitant, as if intended to evoke an amateur piano player. It would also explain why James can play it in the remake; if Mary tried to get him started on the piano, it would make sense for her to teach him a simple song she could already play herself.
If that's the case, it breaks my heart slightly that 'Magdalene' plays after Maria dies! After the death of this woman who looks like Mary, James finds he can't stop thinking about the sound of Mary playing the piano.
Am I reading too much into things? Let's be honest: yes. But isn't that the intended Silent Hill experience?
While I'm talking about music: 'My Immortal' by Evanescence is unironically a perfect song for James and Mary, but somehow it feels like it might not be a great idea to name a work of fanfiction after it.