Dateline Berlin 21
May 2014.
My physical
cavalcade towards health and (?) beauty continues, with a daily 2-3 hours at
Holmes Place. I’m heading off there for my now regular session. It’s Nik day
tomorrow, and I want to impress him with my progress.
I have made some
progress. When I saw my friend Jens, for the first time this season, on Monday
he was most taken with the improved Kurt. Especially when I didn’t order wine
with dinner. Just, hehe, cocktails.
The Gänzl workout
has stretched to 45 minutes (gym) and 15 mins (pool) now. And I’ve stretched
quite a bit. Full extensions, except pointed feet which still bring on cramps,
the squat weights increased without pain to 8kg, and yes! I made those 6kg
lifting weights! It’s a struggle but I’ll get to a complete set today. 25kg on
the rowing machine, increasingly effortful floor exercises (will I ever be able
to do sit-ups again?), and a full set of straight-knee aquatic arabesques. The
guys round the pool are a bit amazed to see the fat oldie doing ballet
exercises, but I know a couple of them have tried it after I’m gone!
You don’t really
expect to see visible results after 3 weeks of training, but I really can. The
posture, the glimmer of a waist and – yesterday a triumph. One of the things
that I hated most about my 2010s body was – well, you can only call them saggy
tits. Its one of the ghastliest signs – along with the roll of belly fat
cascading over a shrivelled penis – of decadence in an ageing man. And I was
getting saggy tits. I’ve never really had a chest, but there was enough of it
still in the right place to sag. Horror! Well, I don’t know which exercise is
doing it, but I’ve ‘perked up’! There are still threatening marks in the
armpits, but the chest is almost back to 2009 level. I just about have
pectorals! Weeny ones, but they’re pectorals! And perky.
Achievements
deserve treats. I have stuck religiously to the ‘kein Wein’ rule, but Monday
night we had a visit to the Katz Orange – always a treat – celebrating Livia Degerolstein’s
win in Tasmania – which obligatorily includes Olli’s latest cocktails, and last
night we went to a concert at the Pianosalon Christophori. They have free wine
with their concerts, but I stuck religiously to little bottles of beer.
Filling.
The concert was a
delightful one, by the duo Kang/Kusnezow; a not very imaginative nomenclature
covering the combination of violinist Byol Kang and pianist Boris Kusnezow. The
Pianosalon has lots of concerts of this type: what made us choose this one was
the repertoire: Debussy, Poulenc, Ravel and Beethoven. Just my cup of wine. I
mean, beer.
There is really
nothing to say about fine, established artists such as these. What can you
‘criticise? I – who know nothing of this repertoire, had my general-musician’s
opinions, Paul, sitting next to me, has performed three of tonight’s four
sonatas in public concert. I knew not enough, he perhaps too much. Can one know
too much?
Well, here we go.
I was simply blown away by the second half of the concert. The music and the
playing. The Poulenc sonata is one of the most glorious pieces of violin music
I’ve ever heard. Lively, tempestuous, tender, soaring … the whole world in
three movements. The second movement gave me a lump in my throat. I love this
under-appreciated composer, and the two young artists clearly do too. The
piece, pricelessly played, got easily the biggest ovation of the evening.
The Ravel was kept
for last. It, too, is a wonderful piece, quirky and bluesy, wonderfully played,
but it couldn’t top the Poulenc.
The first half was
nice, too, the Beethoven was played beautifully, but I question the wisdom of
opening with the Debussy. Either they or I didn’t quite get ‘in’ to it.
Especially the first movement. Paul says it was impeccable played, and he liked
the first movement best. But somehow it didn’t catch me up and carry me along
until half way through.
If an old showman
may suggest: open with Ravel, tell everyone what a fun time they are going to
have, and conclude with the Poulenc!
A couple of
Pianosalon observations. When Ms Kang started playing what we informed was a
Guarnerius, I was a little disappointed in its sound. Not very lavish. And the
pizzicati were inaudible. But I found the reason. For the first time, we were
seated down the side. When I slipped out to the loo at the end, I re-entered
just as the encore (Thais) was
starting. Standing at the back, the sound was perfect. Make sure you get a seat
in the centre block!
Secondly and
sadly. We love the Pianosalon, its entertainment and its attitude. But last
night, we noticed a change. What is this audience? I said. Not students and half-penniless
music lovers, come for an evening of music for ‘what you can afford’, there was
a decided blue-rinse tinge in evidence. So that’s why Johannes wouldn’t come.
And it got worse.
We brought five
students and young music lovers with us, including one lass who had never been
to a classical concert. At the end she proffered her few euros and was nastily
told that there was a 14 euro minimum. Really? Since when? It doesn’t say that
anywhere. I can afford to pay. I usually give anywhere between 30 and 50 euros.
I don’t mind subsidising the young folk. Well, I sha’n’t any more. I shall give
fourteen. And I fear a delightful era has come to an end.
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