Thursday, June 17, 2010

I got a text message last night from Jeff Treviño, a musician living in Berlin, suggesting I meet him and a friend at Nollendorfplatz. Tired, depressed, in no mood to go out and talk to people but what good is sitting alone in your room. Went over to Nplatz. Found JT and David Levinson standing outside the U-Bahn. We went down to Winterfeldplatz in search of a place with no zuzuvelas.

Talked at breakneck speed to DL while JT explained that this was the first time he had been out with me that people at a nearby table had not moved away. DL enlightening on terrifying biz and just generally very very funny. We went off to Bilderbücher for coffee. DL said I talked like David Mamet (or possibly a Mamet character) - either way, this had to be the nicest thing anyone has said to me ever.

JT told a story about playing Webern's Variations for Piano Op. 27 for an audience which turned out to include Charles Rosen. At the end there was a Q&A at which Rosen raised his hand and said, first, that he liked JT's performance better than any he had heard, including that of Peter Stadlen.
Rosen then said JT was playing a dotted 16th note (I think) too long.

Went home happy, excited, full of energy.

3 comments:

Mithridates said...

probably a mamet character. there's no lapel-grabbing urgency in mamet's voice.

Helen DeWitt said...

could be. sadly, i think it is not done to ask someone, 'could you clarify your recent compliment?'

Helen DeWitt said...

(you're up late)