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Sunday, October 18, 2020

Musical Interlude

(For politics, please scroll down) 

Enjoy Frédéric Chopin's Waltz in C# Minor, performed by blogger and pianist extraordinaire FreeThinke/Franco Aragosta (April 11, 1941-October 7, 2020).  All the more amazing because Roger had to memorize every note, which he could barely read on paper: he was almost completely blind by the age of 77.
 

YouTube blurb for the above: 
The first section of the C#-Minor Waltz, casts a spell tinged with Chopin’s characteristic aristocratic elegance, but at the same time world-weary, and nostalgic. The haunting, more animated second section has about it a beguiling aura of nocturnal mystery and enchantment. It beckons us, but where it wants to lead us remains shrouded in mystery as the music keeps dancing gracefully but dissolves into the mist. With each of three repetitions we are left ever more curious, - and a bit fearful -, wondering what might be found if we dared to move beyond the edge of the perfumed garden to parts unknown. 

ROGER TREFETHEN began his piano studies with Joseph Erwin of the Juilliard Preparatory School. He also worked briefly with Ada Brant of Aurora, Illinois. At the Eastman School of Music he studied under Cecile Staub Gerhart, Postgraduate studies with Claude Frank at the Mannes College of Music, Adele Marcus and Albert Fuller at the Juilliard, and finally acclaimed interpreter of Beethoven, Bruce Hungerford, rounded out his music education.

8 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    1. Definitely.

      Back in the day, I worked on this piece. It took me six months to be barely competent with the piece.

      I never felt comfortable enough to perform this particular waltz in public.

      That Roger, nearly blind and in the last year of his life, was able to perform this piece so well is amazing!

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    2. I do wish that he'd had available a better instrument. His old Yamaha grand piano was ready for the junkyard.

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  3. I am so saddened to hear of the passing of Roger. I just sent him a Christmas message but I guess he got it before it was even sent. We had conversed a week before his passing. I had no idea.
    This is a beautiful tribute.
    Time just moves too fast. Too fast.
    Hoping you are well.
    Andie

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    Replies
    1. Yes, Andie, time does move too fast.

      But Roger was ready to leave this life. He had already determined that he would no longer fight the inevitable battles of aging and stated the same to me several times.

      He loved your blog site! Such a place of respite from politics.

      Take care.

      Delete

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