Dateline Los Alamos, May 12, 2001:

Los Alamos, New Mexico is most noted for its top secret research labs,
security leaks, and deadly chemicals.  Nestled near the heights of a tall
mountain chain in central New Mexico, Los Alamos is one wind-swept town
with a small population.  However, it has one of the most highly educated
and scientific citizenry crammed into a small community.  As a result, it
can provide a sizeable audience for chamber groups and solo artists.

My daughter was kind enough to present me with two tickets to the Angela
Hewitt solo concert sponsored by Los Alamos.  The concert took place in a
relatively small auditorium on the high school campus, but the acoustics
were wonderful.  Hewitt's piano sounded like heaven with a purity which
was very impressive.

I had some misgivings about attending the concert, mainly centered on my
dislike for sitting in one place for very long.  Unfortunately, another
problem came my way; be it allergies or an infection, I had some evil stuff
continuously sliding down the back of my throat and getting stuck there.
To say that I tended to cough would be an understatement; my coughing was
persistent, deep as hell, and as loud as a fog horn.

Before leaving Albuquerque for the two hour drive to Los Alamos, I filled
my pockets with soothing mouth drops.  In addition, drops were available at
the doors to the auditorium; I took a bunch of those too.  Overall, I was
very concerned that I would disturb Angela and all the audience members.
Also, let's remember that a person coughing his brains out isn't feeling
too good either.

The above sets the stage for the actual concert.  My wife and I sat way
back in the auditorium so I could make a fast exit.  The first half of
Angela's concert was devoted to Bach - his well known Capriccio for a
deceased brother/pal and the English Suite No.  6.  The interpretations
were quite similar to what you would find on her recordings - very good
with, in my opinion, a little deficiency in power and heroism from her
fingers.  I managed to not cough once during the Bach performances; that
was my goal and I was quite proud of myself.  Although I kept hearing as I
breathed a litany of sounds coming from my throat, I maintained a constant
determination to keep it down.  However, some self-centered jerk had the
cell phone on, and it rang three times while Hewitt was performing Bach.
She shot a look toward the source of the phone ring that told me she was
ready to murder someone, but she kept playing without missing a beat.

The second half of the concert was devoted to Ravel, and I found Hewitt
even more enjoyable in this repertoire.  The only problem was that I let
my guard down and started in with a long coughing jag; immediately, I
rushed out of the auditorium and went outside.  When the coughing was over,
I went back in but remained standing at the rear of the hall, having lost
any confidence that I could be quiet for the remainder of the concert.

Hewitt did give a lecture for about an hour before the concert, and there
was a reception for her after the Ravel and a few encores.  My most lasting
memory of the concert will certainly be the excellent posture she exhibited
while performing; she's like a gazelle.  Also, unlike many artists who
think they are wonderful people but are nothing more than spoiled prima
donnas, Hewitt displayed no extreme gestures with her body or mouth.  She
was all elegance and class.  I liked that, and it's quite a difference from
the obnoxious displays of pianists whose identity I will not reveal and
would rather forget.

My wife enjoyed the concert very much.  I assumed she would prefer
the Ravel music, but she said it was the Bach that really captured her
attention.  What do I know!  Bach never captures her in any way at home.

Don's Conclusion:  Don doesn't have good luck at live concerts.  If it's
not one thing going wrong, it's another.  As it turns out, I had to visit
my primary care physician on Monday to find out that I was infected all
along.  Concerning Angela Hewitt, if she's coming to your neck of the woods
do watch her perform in person; high quality and perfect posture are rare
commodities.

Don Satz
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