Back in the saddle, or this and that

We had our first orchestra rehearsal this morning for the next concert. I have not been practicing the cello for the past month (just playing once a week or so), but the music for this is very easy, so it wasn't a problem. I think playing the piano keeps the music-related synapses in my brain firing; being able to pick up the cello after not playing for a week and having it not sound bad is due to a combination of intellectual knowledge and muscle memory and something creative. This is not a terribly interesting concert: It includes von Suppé's "Light Cavalry Overture," the first movement of the Grieg piano concerto (with a high school age kid playing the solo), a concerto "attributed to" Haydn for two horns, and two of Grieg's Norwegian dances; a children's choir directed by the conductor's wife will also be singing a few numbers. But it's about my speed at the moment.

I don't know why I'm not feeling interest in the cello right now. Perhaps it's because I have such limited time to pursue my hobbies, and I only have so much energy to expend. Or else it's just a continuation of my love/hate relationship with the whole cello experience. If someone asks me to play something specific, I can generally muster the enthusiasm necessary to prepare and do a good job, but if I'm just floating along, self-directed, it's hard to get motivated.

The piano master class that was supposed to take place next weekend has been canceled yet again; the teacher has had a death in the family and will be out of the country. But having the deadline has been good for me in terms of providing incentive to really learn the Brahms. It's really been kind of a rush, finally memorizing this piece after all these years of stabbing at it ineffectually. I'll try to record and post it here soon.