<<  -- 6 --  Elizabeth Dobbs    MUSIC

Theresa, dressed in black silk, opened the doors of the church and began passing out programs to people as they entered. The smell of night-time fog clung to coats and shawls and came into the church with them.

Standing just inside the door of the back room, Anton watched Theresa greeting a professor from her department and his wife. She turned away to welcome the next person, a longtime member of Early Music Society, a widow and patroness.

Sweat slickened Anton's palms, a problem he always had to deal with when performing. The sweating made him more afraid of playing badly, as he worried that his fingers would slip on the frets of the lute.

Finally everyone was seated and Theresa closed the doors of the church. Sandra stepped onto the stage, her hair twisted into an elegant chignon, the black silk of her dress shimmering as she settled herself before the harpsichord and lifted her hands over the keyboard. The first piece of the concert was George Frideric Handel's Suite in E for solo harpsichord. Sandra's left hand played the aristocratic opening notes of the suite, then her right hand played a higher echo, joining the music seamlessly.

Pete and Yukio came on next and played the piece by Tobias Hume. The dark, resonating notes of the cello and the higher, slightly nasal voice of the gamba sang the lachrymose State of the Gambo. Yukio and Pete, feeling the music, looked at each other as they coordinated the aching harmonies of their separate musical lines.

After the group played some trio sonatas, Anton ended the performance with the Kapsberger Toccata for Lute No 1, his nervousness vanishing as the golden notes of the lute filled him. A motorcycle roared up the street outside the church, tearing the music, but Anton drew the threads together again, feeling the audience entering the music with him. While making music, everything else dropped away except the sublime sound and the emotions evoked by music's elemental language. Anton gave himself to the audience.

When the last note died away, the audience stood and gave their ovation. Anton, holding his lute carefully by the neck, bowed. He turned and beckoned to the others, and Sandra, Nikki, Pete, and Yukio walked onto the platform. The five of them clasped hands, together in the light of their performance, and bowed.

Before going to bed that night, glowing from the wine of the after concert party and the success of the performance, Anton and Theresa listened to the messages on their answering machine.

The first call was from the veterinary surgeon.

'Hello, this is Dr Andersen,' he said. 'Mandolin's surgery went fine. The tumor is out and I've sent specimens to the lab for analysis. You can pick up Mandolin on Monday and we should have the results from the lab by Tuesday or Wednesday. Mandolin did just fine. She's resting now, and we'll keep her comfortable.'

The answering machine beeped then played the next message. 'Hi Mom and Pop,' Lev's voice said. 'I got here safe and sound and even have my luggage.'

Squawking and bleating sounds of musicians noodling to warm up for a performance almost drowned out Lev's voice. He must have been calling on his cellphone.

'The show's about to start, so I'm just calling for luck. I love you!' There was a slight pause of indecision, and then Lev added, 'I wish you could be here for my premier on the Huberman Strad. I'm glad you're going to be here tomorrow. I hope your concert goes well, Pop. Sorry I can't be there for it.'

Continue >>