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In the Forum: Musical Discussions
In the Thread: Boston and Bruckner
Post Subject: A little storyPosted by Romy the Cat on: 10/16/2021
Like in anything else with B8 in your life there is a little story with last night concert. Here is a letter Amy sent to Zander 2 days before the performance.

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Dear Ben,
 
I realize this is a rather outrageous request, but is there any way I might still play the Bruckner? Not having BPO has been one of the harder things about COVID (and having spent a lot of time on the COVID wards, I saw a lot of hard things). Seeing that we were starting with B8 felt a divine signal that it was really going to get better. I have a particular love of B8 amongst symphonies - I met my husband over a mutual love of Bruckner and we eloped and got married to the B8 Adagio. 
 
Even longer than my love of B8 for being instrumental in bringing about my marriage, I have loved it for being instrumental in my general joy through playing in BPO. You probably don't remember, but the reason I'm playing in BPO now is that when I was an intern you were playing B8, and I was so desperate to play I asked you if I could join just that concert - you said no, but that I could play in BPO in general. B8 brought me together with BPO as well as my husband. 
 
The next time we played it was during my oncology fellowship. One of the most potent memories I have in music and medicine is driving to Sanders for the Sunday concert and getting the call that a particularly dear young patient of mine had finally died of his leukemia after deciding to return Guatemala to see his children one more time rather than getting more treatment when he relapsed. He had said he was going to cross the border and see us again for more treatment, but we all knew it was goodbye - and a painful microcosm of the unfairness even of tragedy in this world. I was so very sad remembering him as we played, but then as I listened to the brass playing particularly beautifully, and particularly hauntingly, at the end of the Adagio, the music was suddenly not just B8, but a prayer for Rafael rising from our little stage in Cambridge to Guatemala to the heavens. One of the most miraculous moments of my life, and one that has sustained my soul through much.
 
One of these hard times is now - I had to drop out of rehearsals - and also take an urgent leave from work - because my 5 y/o son is in emotional crisis and I have had to drop everything to be with him. Because it was B8, my husband really wanted me to play. I went to the Sunday rehearsal, and during that time he ran away from my parents and they had to call the police to help find him. Child in need beats even Bruckner. But, in an almost equally divine-seeming sign, we found an amazing nanny named Charlie for my Charlie, and he is doing so well with him that I could actually go to a rehearsal today and play tomorrow. 

Again, I completely realize how unusual it is to ask to play with so little rehearsing, but I know this piece with my heart, and oh would being able to play it - and with BPO in Symphony Hall - be a ray of hope and healing to grab and climb right now. 
 
So many words, and not so well formed, but oh to play B8, if in any way possible!!
 
With deep gratitude for all you and BPO have given me,
Amy

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