Journal Entries
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Bon Journal
Flute pieces
She reminded me of myself ten years ago. I was living in a small single
room. A colleague told me to visit this Singaporean lady living in Nottinghill.
I visited her elaborate flat and got served dinner by her cook. She didn't
seem any older than I, but how did she get so established, while I was
still struggling?
I wanted so much to tell Yoka that it took me years to get to where
I am. Even so, it could all disappear with the blink of an eye. Yes -
snap - it could all disappear. All that glitters is not gold.
But there was no need to explain because we were here to play music.
Figuring that she must be homesick, I cooked a simple Japanese meal of
yaki-udon (fried thick noodles) and seaweed soup. We then proceeded to
sightread flute and piano music.
Flutists (flautists) can read violin music, but play only as low as
middle C. The violin is much more versatile. I had an arrangement for
Pachelbel's Canon. We read the music from the movie Schindler's List.
Then we moved to the well-known Concerto in C major for flute, harp, and
orchestra. It was so Mozart. By the end of the third movement, we were
craving for some dissonance and variety. So we attemped Poulenc's Sonata
for flute and piano. What a fantastic piece! A Brazillian classmate introduced
this piece to me almost ten years ago. But I haven't played it with anyone
since.
In my senior year in college, I worked on three flute-piano pieces with
a psychology major: Schubert, Walter Piston, and Olivier Messiaen. It
was hard work - but it sounded great at her senior recital.
Some years back, I discovered a colleague had attained grade level 8
in flute - so I got him to sightread some pieces with me. But after playing
my arrangement of the Titanic,
he never wanted to play with me again.
So now I've discovered another flutist - competent and enthusiastic.
And time just flew - we played until we ran out of music - two hours nonstop.
The only remedy is to get more flute and piano music.
6 June 2001
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