In the afternoon

Almost goes without saying, that I had fun playing; but it was a non-event in curious ways.

On the earlier occasion, too, when I was invited to play as an additional performer at a domestic concert, I was not listed in the handout, but people remained seated and attentive; I was treated as a musical performance.

In this instance, that was more difficult (herding cats is the expression which comes to mind), as the pianist had played the first part of the program downstairs, and mine host had decided that I would play upstairs: there was no transition of attentive audience from floor to floor to coincide with a clarinetist playing.

In the grand scheme of things, no matter, I enjoyed myself playing, and there were perhaps half a dozen people in the room who paid me heed. In the event, though, I was glad that the other instrumentalist whom I was thinking of bringing along for the event, had another engagement arise for yesterday. I don’t mind the treatment of myself, but I should have thought it a discourtesy to him.

The pianist, by the way, (Shuann Chai) played a lovely program: a Fauré Prélude, the Prélude from Ravel’s Le tombeau de Couperin, Debussy’s L'isle joyeuse, a Chopin Nocturne and the Opus 60 Barcarolle, and the monumental Bach-Busoni Chaconne. I should gladly have stayed to hear the second part of her program, only the concert started much later than had been planned, and I had to make my way back to Boston to hear a concert at Symphony Hall.

Also, it was a delight to refresh my acquaintance with Kathy Matasy, an excellent freelance clarinetist, who will be playing in a November performance of Elliott Carter’s Poems of Louis Zukofsky for soprano and clarinet.