After a few seconds of silence, the audience began to applaud, a crescendo of clapping. Despite the blunders, Hans’s composition seemed to be a success. Hans bowed, then turned and gestured for the orchestra to stand. More applause.
At the post-performance party, I avoided Hans, fearing his wrath for my belated climactic note. He seemed reconciled with Miss Stinger, however. I talked with Al who, I noticed, was quickly on his third drink. Perhaps he was trying to calm his nerves.
“The night seems to have been a big success,” I said.
“Yeah.” There was disappointment in his voice.
“It must be satisfying to go from student to fellow-performer.”
“Maybe now he’ll realize his mishtake.” Al’s tolerance for alcohol seemed to match my own, which was very low.
“Mistake?”
“Yeah. When I took his course, he gave me a C instead of the A I desherved. Said I lacked fire an’ proper technique.”
Was this the piece I lacked: motive? It was a flimsy one, but every student, including me has had at least one grade from a teacher or professor which he thinks is unfair. I hated to take advantage or a drunk, but I asked gently: “Al, are you responsible for the …accidents?”
“Sure. But I didn’t even do a good job at that. I desherve an F as a shabatoor.”
I found myself feeling some sympathy for Al, especially when he added: “But I didn’t shteal those han’kerchiefs I stuck in that horn. I paid for them.”
I talked to a few more people briefly, then left. I wondered if Amanda had been there to see my début as a musician.
The next morning I called Hans and told him that I was sure there would be no more incidents, but because I hadn’t caught the culprit, I waived my fee.
Then I read Georgette Bernard’s review of the concert in the local paper: “Last night’s performance of Hans Humperdinck’s ‘Symphony in A Flat for Orchestra and Triangle’ moved modern music to a new stage. The audience was repeatedly startled by unexpected interruptions in the flow of the melody and withholding the final note for several seconds was a brilliant touch.”
Hmm, I wondered, does some big-city symphony orchestra need an experienced triangulist?
