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Thursday, March 06, 2003

At Home with Ludwig Van

Does this make me a freak or does everyone do this? Does everyone get a piece of music stuck in their head--like popcorn in your teeth--and then program that song into the stereo so you listen to it over and over again every single time you walk into your apartment?

I have to point out from time to time that I don’t walk around in a constant dyspeptic rage, irritated with the entire world of popular culture around me. I shelter myself rather well from the worst things out there. Music is a constant source of joy in my life. For a while I had been ignoring my piano. I am way too short on talent (5’9”) to go very long without practicing so last week I practically forced myself at knife-point to sit down and start playing again.

I wasn't the last person to play my piano. I had someone over who was playing and looking through my music so when I sat down Beethoven’s adagio from his Pathétique sonata was on the music stand. A while back I remember trying to work through this lovely piece but I either didn’t try very hard or gave up because it was too difficult for me at that time. I am sinking my fangs into it this time around. As obsessive as I am about listening to this piece I am doubly weird about playing it. I can play a four measure phrase over and over to the point where I feel like Jack Nicholson in The Shining writing all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Just be glad you aren’t my neighbor.

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