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Post to the Host: On

February 16, 2005 |

Post to the Host:
On the February 12 show, your guests included a quartet from the Minnesota Orchestra, which was great. You kept talking about how they had to "go to work" shortly, i.e., rush off to their 8 pm concert in Minneapolis. Actually, I had been to the Orchestra on Thursday night, and heard an astounding performance of the Nielsen Symphony No. 5. That piece is not often played, and is among the masterpieces of the 20th century. When you bid farewell to the string players, I thought to myself, "I should go hear the Nielsen a second time, because it may never come my way again." I almost got in my car and drove over to Minneapolis, but then double-checked my Orchestra schedule. Hmmm. No concert on Saturday night.

So what gives? Just taking a little artistic license to make some conversation with the musicians? But why?

A Perplexed Listener in St. Paul

Dear Perplexed, I was told that the musicians had a concert that night, so they could only stay through the beginning of the monologue. And in fact, as I began the monologue, I watched them packing up to leave. Earlier, talking with them on the show, asking about their concert, I got the impression that it was a preview of the upcoming season, but maybe I misunderstood. In any case, it was a gorgeous quartet and what a pleasure to sing duets with Prudence Johnson with the quartet accompanying. I hope they return on the 26th.

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