Yesterday I watched a DVD of Yo Yo Ma (cello), Daniel Barenboim (piano), and Itzhak Perlman (violin) playing Beethoven's Triple Concerto. It was like a strange chamber music piece for 70 players -- 3 soloists and an orchestra. Daniel conducted from the piano, a Steinway grand with its top removed. They all followed each other by listening. Barenboim had his back to YoYo & Itzhak. Yo Yo Ma followed Itzhak intently, and Itzhak, so lame he had to haul himself to his chair with crutches, both legs in braces, led peremptorily.
It was the crutches that did it. Everyone there was playing in the face of death. Yo Yo as always, listened attentively. He listens to Itzhak. He listens to Daniel. In the beautiful soft beginning to the third section he listens even to his own cello, to hear the melody emerge.
Bootcamp has finished. I have the familiar hunger, hollow, & bleakness that follows a closing performance.
Yesterday was glory and joy.
Today, a blackened burn everywhere.
On the record of my life,
these two days will be put as one
-- Rumi
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