If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph: ‘The only proof he needed for the existence of God was music.”
-Kurt Vonnegut
(I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I’ve not read a thing by Vonnegut. I’d pull out one of Kelsey’s books, but I do believe she took them to school with her. I’d visit our local library but they tore it down and the new building won’t be completed until Spring 2008. I guess a bookstore trip is in order.)
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Readers here know by now that I do not care all that much for reed making, and I am not to proud to try other people’s reeds. When we began our first rehearsal for Madama Butterfly I joked with the second oboist, saying, “You do know that you are to provide me with reeds, right?” I later did assure him that I was joking, but what a fabulous surprise today! The player, Peter Lemberg, brought me a reed. A reed that played very, very well. So I’ve told him if he decides he wants to sell reeds I’ll most certainly recommend them. (I did start a Reed Assessment page, too, in case you’re interested. Please keep in mind that what I like and what you like may be entirely different! I like milk chocolate, not dark chocolate. I like ketchup (a lot) and hate tomatoes. I love coconut. I don’t really like oranges. See what I mean? You might not want to trust me too much! … although … well … if you won’t send reeds you can always send chocolate. 😉
And now I’m simply exhausted. This opera is just so tiring (or I’m just so old!). But I get home and I’m wired and I can’t possibly go directly to bed. Nor can I eat, which really ticks me off! I used to come home and have a comforting bowl of Cheerios. Honest, that’s what I craved. So now I’m sitting here typing and feeling just a wee bit sorry for myself.
But I’m a musician and feeling sorry for myself is only right and proper. 😉
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Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart.
-Shinichi Suzuki
Thanks, Divertimenti for posting this quote.
(Just a note, though: I have to say that while I do like this quote I actually have met some musicians who are not sensitive, discliplined and are, to be honest, pretty yucky people … so I don’t believe music is the Answer To Everything. Just so you know. 🙂
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I was sorry to read that Roscoe Lee Browne has died. I saw him—maybe it was a year ago or so?—narrating L’Histoire du soldat. Loved that voice!
And I also read that “Tiny Bubbles Man”, Don Ho, died.
Hmmm. Don Imus. Don Ho. Is there a connection? I’m sorry, but that’s what immediately came to mind. Because I’m twisted that way. (For the record, I thought the firing appropriate and necessary. I know there are some who strongly disagree. Ah well. I am bothered, though, by that language being used by anyone.)
Anyway, I wasn’t really a Don Ho fan, but I sure knew that song. It’s one of those “never leaves completely” sort of tunes.
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