1.23.2013

how we were entertained before tv


I love it when I know exactly what Ruggy is thinking.

The other night, we ventured out to Brooklyn (this is huge for a Manhattanite, like getting on a commuter flight to another state altogether). An African hair braiding salon was our signpost for an altogether different salon: an evening of classical music. We climbed the stairs to a warm studio, where Ethan Iverson and Matthew Guerrieri had decided to sight read Beethoven's Fifth Symphony in its entirety, four handed on a Steinway. Like you do. Ethan's partner in crime, the perfect Sarah of The Spiral Staircase, had whipped up a cocktail dubbed The Nutty Monk (I would rename it Heaven. As I sipped and tried my best not to dissect the author's other perfect cocktail, a mix of vixen/vintage/bombshell, I thought: POLKA DOTS AND CUTOUTS?! MY SEWING PEEPS WOULD DIE. )

The soft light in the studio, just enough for the musicians to play by, made us all feel instant friends (the chestnut infused cognac didn't hurt). In my mind, Ethan and Matthew were going to sit at separate pianos, sort of across from each other, dueling. Obviously I have never seen a fourhanded piece. Squeezed on one bench, twenty digits crossing and overlapping, they sent arpeggios back and forth like hot potatoes. As the gents played, Ruggy would turn to me every so often with a wide, slightly mischievous grin on his face. I knew exactly what he was thinking. This is so fucking cool. I was thinking it right back at him, verbatim.

Afterwards, Matthew read a passage from his book, The First Four Notes. Wait, let me rephrase that. Afterwards, Matthew DROPPED HIS MAGNIFICENT KNOWLEDGE ON THE ROOM LIKE A CHUCK NORRIS BEATDOWN. Seriously. I sat grinning, hoping some of the intelligence washing over me would stick. Did you know the opening notes of Beethoven's Fifth are morse code for V? As in V for Victory? Many fingers tapped on cocktail glasses when he dropped that little tidbit. And really, that fact was run of the mill when you compare it to the rest of the talk, it's just the one point that I can type out with certainty over morning coffee. There's also a dude, Furier? Forier? Who apparently was given permission to visit heaven and hell and chat up the residents there. I gotta know more about that.

I found myself wishing I'd heard the symphony after the cavernous talk, and luckily Ethan felt the same way, as we were treated to a reprise of the first movement. I'd like to try it again, you don't have to listen, Ethan offered to the room. Yeah, no, I'd really rather not be treated to more of that. I almost rabidly shouted out for the whole shebang again.
New york is, at times, too cool to be real.

26 comments:

  1. That sounds awesome! I really love my city! ESPECIALLY BROOKLYN!!

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  2. Oh, Lord, I would have loved that.

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  3. Fourier. As a scientist, I've heard of Joseph Fourier, but this looks like Charles Fourier, a philosopher. According to Wikipedia, C. Fourier coined the word feminism! Looks like maybe he was a transcendentalist? Sounds interesting!

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    1. yes, there was talk of transcendentalism ALL OVER THE PLACE.

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  4. Sounds amazing, Beethoven and cocktails! Wonderful!

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  5. Ditto what Donna said!!! You guys are so damn lucky to be in a city so full of LIFE!

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  6. AHHHHH! The Fifth!! Too perfect! What a great night!

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  7. I grew up in a Life Without TV. Strange thing though, we just spent a lot of time watching squirrels.

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  8. It sounds good for sure. I'm lucky to have grown up with no TV, and in a small town where classical concerts happen (as my Little Black Dress learned). Still, it sounds cool; my classical concerts happen without cocktails.

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  9. P.S. I found out, to my horror, that I don't remember what morse for V is. I mean, I found out to my horror that I've forgotten most of Morse. Learning Morse (and reading books where they learn Morse) is one of those things you may do if you grow up without TV, and I've forgotten it.

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    1. to have even known morse code at some point in your life is pretty friggin amazing.

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    2. We used it to announce at the door it was us, if we forgot our keys. I rang (still sometimes do) Morse for H. :-)

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  10. Yes, that is too cool. Nothing like that around here.

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  11. Oh fantastic. More of this please. I live in the middle of nowheresville (Scottish Borders to you, modom) with a stroppy two year old who refuses to sleep for more than two consecutive hours. I have no social life any more, and indeed can barely string a sentence together. On account of the lack of sleep I can't sew (snipped off the top of my knuckle at the weekend whilst attempting to cut out a new pattern -BUT GOT NO BLOOD ON THE FABRIC, HURRAH!). I rely on your for vicarious sewing and party pleasure. Keep it up gal, you're doing GOOD!!! Did i mention I'm sooooo jealous? Huh.

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    1. i laughed out loud at this (no lol ing here dammit). i will strive to give you more of this! woman cannot exist by sewing alone!

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  12. One day I will have room for Mom's baby grand piano and then I shall learn to play more than a C-scale. As awesome as this was to read, I miss her now. *sniffles*

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  13. Speaking as one trying to scrape out a living as a classically-trained musician....AWESOME. Sounds like a great night!

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  14. that sounds amazing. i love the whole adventure. but more details on the clothes!! :-)

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i thankya truly for taking the time to comment, i love a good conversation-- and hope you know my thanks are always implied, if not always written!