Jon Stewart, Obama, and Horowitz
January 26, 2009
So, Obama has irritated the Vatican, and pissed off Rush Limbaugh…So far, so good. He suggested that Americans have to ”…break free of the confrontational mindset epitomised by Mr Limbaugh, the highest paid talk show host in America. "You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done." This reminds me of the now-famous appearance of Jon Stewart on Crossfire – Jon begged them to just please stop because they were hurting America. (If you haven’t seen this show, search it on YouTube…it’ll make you twitch and squirm…very uncomfortable, but it spelled the end of Crossfire as a show – it was cancelled about five weeks later.) And this today in my news feed: Obama on America becoming energy self-sufficient: "My administration will not deny facts. We will be guided by them."
I am so digging this guy.
Here's a little riff for ya...
Horowitz and Schubert’s Impromptu in G flat major
Stoic, wrinkled face. He does not acknowledge the audience. He sits up straight, adjusts his suit coat, pulls gently on his bowtie. Adjusts the bench. Turns completely inward. As he begins to play – his age-spotted hands barely move on the keyboard. There is no wasted movement. There are only the notes. It is as if he is only holding his hands above the keys, and magically pulling the notes into the air, freeing them, allowing the music to float around the hall. I can imagine he’s played this a thousand times. It’s likely been in his repertoire since he was a boy. But this sadness, this quiet resignation to life, has far more breadth than what came before. This interpretation is pulled from the well of a long life and it lingers. It's slower than all the rest. As if Horowitz knows the truth about beauty. As if he knows grey secrets of sorrow, remorse, love. He will bow slightly at the last strains, a sort of silent salute to the composer, to the music, to the just-completed journey. He will let the last notes ring out on the piano. As if, he is utterly aware he may be playing this Schubert impromptu for the last time.