01.06.08
An Equal Music (Vikram Seth)
Sunday afternoon was a suitable time to snuggle in a little
corner and read a book uninterrupted, though I had to drift to the espresso
machine several times.
It has been long since I last indulged in a love story. But an extremely musical love story I could
not resist, especially when it involves a girl pianist who loves Bach the way I
do and the violist “Michael” (oh, the parallelisms!)… and especially when Franz
had to purchase it from Brunei and deliver it directly to my heart’s doorstep.
[You know how much I appreciate
it, Franz,
but after reading it, I do not know whether your gesture was one of
kindness or cruelty.
Now I blame you
for half the pain my “Michael” has caused me! (Hah! Kidding, kidding, of
course! Besides, Hesse
was way meaner!)]
An Equal Music. “In
the book I read, I recalled him, for he had in many ways been the making of
me…” and it was after all the very same “Schu” of The Trout who stirred up the Arpeggione.
“Music, such music, is a sufficient gift… why not hope to
grieve? It is enough, it is to be blessed enough, to live from day to day and
to hear such music - not too much, or the soul could not sustain it – from time
to time.”
It was indeed fugue I suffered
from…
but I am purged now. This book was
just an ad lib to a cathartic movement.
It is over.
Fine.
