IS IT SANE TO FEEL SO HAPPY THAT YOU FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT? WHAT HAS OUR SOCIETY TAUGHT US? CHILDREN ARE KILLING WITH ASSAULT RIFLES, YET PEOPLE ON THE BUS OR SUBWAY LOOK AT ME WANTING, YEARNING TO CONNECT. JUST A WORD, A TOUCH, A SMILE IS ALL THEY SEEM TO WANT.
SOMETIMES I THINK I AM GOING CRAZY IN A WORLD GONE MAD.
I LOOK DOWN AT THE AUDIENCE IN THE CONCERT HALL, CROWDING IN, HURRYING TO THEIR SEATS, HUNGERING FOR THE SOLACE OR THRILLS OF THE STRINGS, THE BIG SOUNDS. SHOSTAKOVICH , THE CELLO COMCERTO AND THEN SYMPHONY NO.5.
MY LOVELY SEAT-MATE MARY, IS THERE BUT WITHOUT, WILLIAM, HER HANDSOME HUSBAND, RECUPERATING AT HOME. WHAT NICE, REAL PEOPLE!
AND THE CONCERT WAS GOOD.
WHY ARE SECOND MOVEMENTS, ADAGIOS SO DARN BEAUTIFUL? I WAS BACK IN NEW ORLEANS, COLLEGE DAYS, THE MAGNAVOX RECORD PLAYER IN ITS FRUITWOOD CABINET, MY FIRST AND MOST NECESSARY, MOST LOVED POSSESSION. MONEY-POOR BUT MUSIC-WEALTHY. AND THE FIFTH SYMPHONY WAS WHAT WE PLAYED ON IT, AND THE LIEBESTOD FROM TRISTAN AND ISOLDE.
THE MEMORIES, THE PARTIES, THE SPAGHETTI DINNERS, GALLON JUGS OF GALLO! AND THE NEW ORLEANS OPERA COMPANY WHERE I SANG AND LEARNED SO MUCH. IT ALL CAME ALIVE AGAIN IN THAT MUJSIC.
WE ALL DEPARTED THE HALL AFTER THAT INCREDIBLE FINAL ALLEGRO. AND I WONDERED, AS USUAL ABOUT WHAT THE REST OF THE AUDIENCE WAS FEELING, THINKING. THEY SURE APPLAUDED AND CHEERED. BUT I WENT AWAY, QUIETED AND THINKING MY USUAL BANALITIES.
WHAT I WOULD GIVE FOR AN ORIGINAL THOUGHT! BUT I'M AFRAID THEY'VE ALL BEEN TOUGHT ALREADY.