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Yes, I met Mati and his friend.

Last night, my other Polish friend took me to the Lazienki (it's the Polish L with a dash, not the regular L) park to see the Chopin statue. Most people here can really walk. They walk 10-15 km/day like there is nothing to it, and they walk fast. My normal walking pace is 4 miles/hour, and I found myself pushing the pace to keep up with people here.

Now I need to find time to go to the Holy cross catholic church where Chopin heart is preserved. Just about 1 km from the hotel.

LA, just wanted to jot a quick note to express my enjoyment of your updates from Warszawa. Wish I were there with you and Mati.

I wish you were there, too! It's a great experience. I am happy that timing was just right. Two weeks from now I would have my classes at the university and I would perhaps find coming impossible.


M.

BUT HOW DID THE PERFORMANCE GO????

And how is the weather?

Elene

Me too!!! I also go through periods of bipolar depression and I once called a phone helpline and they told me to play Mahler instead of Chopin when I am unwell, but I am just addicted to Chopin, even if he makes me cry, what can I do? Love has its pain...

CA

It seems to me that Mahler would be a singularly bad choice for helping a depressed mood, but then, I am way, way not into Mahler. And did he write any solo piano works, anyway?

Still, it's interesting that the helpline person was knowledgeable enough about music to make such a suggestion.

I have been struck by the high percentage of DtC-ers with emotional health issues. I don't have trouble with depression anymore, myself (fortunately), but I do have bouts of severe anxiety sometimes (and not just in connection with e-citals!).

For me, the middle section of the Fantaisie-Impromptu reduces both physical and emotional pain.

Elene

I don't think that Mahler is that good for depression either, although he is not bad either. The only one who really cheers me up when I am depressed is Amadeus... There is nothing like Mozart to cure depression. He is unique...

CA

Chopin played Bach - -

Wow, so much to respond to.

LA: I hope you are having the very best time. Wonderful to meet up with Mati (Mati...long time, no hear from). I can't even imagine how I would feel in the church at contains Chopin's heart. I am afraid I would be a basketcase. For some people with bipolar, it is very difficult to cry because our emotions have been regulated by medication. But I would absolutely fall apart in tears in that church.

Please do let us know how the competition went.

Not only do Polish people walk fast, they also work hard. Years ago, a family who just arrived from Poland, moved in next door to us. Both parents worked 2 full-jobs for ten years. Then they bought a 6 flat building...for CASH! They told me they loved their homeland, but they were so proud to be Americans.

I am afraid that I have gotten to the point where I don't want to listen to any other music other than Chopin's. I know this isn't healthy or even sane. But so very few other composers come close to affecting me the way Chopin does, and I play only one or two of their compositions on IPod.

Yes, Elene, I have also noticed that there seems to be many of us, here on the DtC thread, that have had or are still having some emotional or mental issues.

I read two very interesting books by Kay Redfied called "Touched with Fire" and "An Unquiet Mind." After reading both, I came away feeling not only better, but I knew I had that special "something" in me, certainly not genius (ha), but a quality that just might border on it. So very, very many of the famous artists, composers, writers, etc., from the past and even in the present sufferred from mental problems. But, boy, what insight they had into the human psyche. I have to laugh, but I think of it akin to their being from another planet and after they landed here on earth, they could truly only communicate with those who shared their "language."



Kathleen

On a related note, during my lesson earlier today, my teacher said that once I had finished with my current piece (Chopin), he wanted to do something non Chopin with me. I know this is probably for the best, but at the moment, if I had to play something from another composer, I don't think I would have much enthusiasm for learning the piece. I didn't want to say 'I only want to learn Chopin', but I hate the idea of learning something I may not even like. Not that I'm saying all other composers were or are terrible, but thats just the way it is for me at the moment.

Good luck LA, with all your future performances there. Blow them away, knock 'em dead, and all other related idioms.

Elene, Kathleen, some more information in the separate thread - but to mention here quickly, the weather is beautiful Sunny from the very morning to the end of the day and I hope it will remain that way up until Sunday. It's warm, but not hot - quite comfortable in fact. LisztAddict performed wonderfully both in the first round and the second one - I love his sound. I also loved his Chaconne from d-minor partita for solo violin in Busoni transcription he played today. The competition is very tough, I hope he will get to the finals though and I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I wish you all were here to listen to LA and others! What a breathtaking experience!

Mati

I didn't make the cut.

I'm sorry to hear that Even though, we will meet tomorrow anyway. Don't worry, LisztAddict, you did a GREAT job on stage! I really enjoyed your performace, just like many others did, and that's what matters.

M.

Hey, you qualified to play and you got to the second round. That's a lot right there. We couldn't be any prouder of you if you'd won the whole thing.

I applaud Elene's skepticism, and am here to confirm that indeed I have had my "peccable" moments in scholarship. Not too many, though. (I hope!)

But, enjoying the discussions and enthusiasm displayed hereabouts, I hope you won't mind if I drop by now and then, if just to assuage any nascent bad feeling about me.

Jeff

Dr. Kallberg,

Your unexpected presence is an honor. I had lost interest in continuing to post here lest I be called an egghead yet again, but I must make an exception to welcome you.

I'm humbled to have remarked that I've found your essays less than pellucid, but the good humor with which you received Elene's comment suggests that you won't hold mine against me.

Chopin is practically ubiquitous at Piano World and a shared passion of many (including, naturally, beyond this particular thread). I hope you will have time and motivation to contribute.

Steven

Witam, bienvenue, welcome, Dr. Kallberg (she said indistinctly, while attempting to remove foot from mouth). It is truly delightful to hear from you.

I do, honestly, have a small bone to pick with you, but I’ll explain that at another time. Thank you for your gracious reception of our comments. We attempt to keep the level of politesse rather high around here, but I see that I allowed myself to fall beneath that standard for a bit!

We’d be very happy to have you drop by whenever you feel like it, and I’m glad to hear that you’ve enjoyed our discussions, “eggheadedness” and all.

Peccably,

Elene
(who did read Chopin at the Boundaries)

LisztAddict,

I'm sorry to hear you didn't get any further in the competition, but I'm sure your performance was extremely strong. I can't help but think of the guy in the last Cliburn competition (don't remember his name) who already had a successful concert career and got sterling reviews, but didn't get past the first round. They have to cut somebody.

I've been impressed with the thorough musicality of your recordings, and I'm at least as much impressed with the courage and fortitude you've shown in entering these competitions.

Steven,

I want you to know that I deeply and sincerely appreciate you as a fellow egghead.

Elene

Kathleen, I FULLY agree with you about tormented minds/artists...

And of course I don't listen to any helplines and keep playing and listening to Chopin too, even at the cost of my sanity...

Dear Steven and Elene (and others),

Call me Jeff. We're not quite so formal in the academy any more.

Steven: No worries on the comments about my prose. It can be a tricky thing writing scholarship these days, especially when one hopes to communicate both with other specialists and with those who simply love the music one is writing about. Sometimes that results in some dense brush thrown into the paths of the non-scholarly reader, and I apologize for that. Maybe I have to think of a way to package some kind of machete with my next book.

Elene: Pick those bones away, small or large!

And Steven: I wear the egghead label all-too literally these days, as my hair seems to migrate south.

Cheers,

Jeff