This Cursed Blog

Sometimes I lament this blog simply because much of the time it bears the weight of bad news. I did not mention the passing of George Perle because I had gotten sick of writing how much lighter the world felt, but today I write in to lament the loss of Lukas Foss. A friend wrote, apropos of a despairing conversation he and I had been having, via email, about grants etc., wrote me that he had heard from Lukas' son that the great man had left the earth. Allan Kozinn has a respectful piece about it in the Times.

I met him only twice, and found him to be charming and brilliant. I thrilled to his pianism in his performance of Bernstein's Age of Anxiety and loved a lot of his music. More than anything, I liked the idea of him, as someone not hewn to any school of thought but rather a brave and inherently curious mind willing to try out anything for the sheer fun of it. I wish more composers were like that now.

So adieux Lukas and Mr. Perle (whom I never met, save once), the world truly is lighter now.