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J.EDWARD RALL -- FROM AN EARLY
AGE HE KNEW HE WANTED TO GET TO
THE TOP.
HE ALSO LIKED TO GET THINGS
MOVING.
WHETHER HIS GRANDFATHER PLAT ON
THREE WHEELS OR FOUR.
THIS INTEREST STAYED WITH ED ALL
HIS LIFE AT HIS BELOVED FARM OR
WITH HIS GRANDCHILDREN.
ED'S BROTHER DAVID WAS BORN IN
1926.
THROUGH THE ILLINOIS WINTERS AND
SHORT PANTS THEY SHARED A STRONG
BOND.
DAVE FOLLOWED HIS BROTHER'S
FOOTSTEPS TO NORTHWESTERN
COLLEGE TO MEDICAL SCHOOL AND ON
TO A BRILLIANT CAREER.
THE RALL MEN WORKED TOGETHER AND
PLAYED TOGETHER.
ED MET THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE
EARLY.
HERE HE IS AT ED'S FOURTH
BIRTHDAY.
CAROLINE AND ED WERE MARRIED IN
1944.
THEIR FATHERS EDWARD PROFESSOR
DOCUMENT AND RECALL WERE
COLLEAGUES AT NORTH CENTRAL
COLLEGE AN CLOSE FRIENDS.
FEW PEOPLE REALIZE THAT CAROLINE
WHO HAD A DEGREE IN SCIENCE AND
WORKED IN THE LAB AT MAYO CLINIC
WAS ED'S UNACKNOWLEDGED
SCIENTIFIC EDITOR.
THIS IS THE ONLY PHOTO TAKEN OF
ED DANCING.
TO A YEAR LONG SABBATICAL IN
PARIS.
CAROLINE WAS BY HIS SIDE WHEN HE
RECEIVED AN HONORARY DEGREE FROM
THEIR ALMA MATER NORTH CENTRAL
COLLEGE.
ED LOST HIS BELOVED CAROLINE IN
1976.
ED WAS A SPORTSMAN FROM EARLY
AGE.
HIS LOVE OF HORSES CONTINUED
THROUGH THE YEARS AND HE PASSED
IT ON TO HIS GRANDDAUGHTERS.
HE ALSO EXCELLED -- HE ENJOYED
SKIING.
HERE AT GARMISH, GERMANY, IN
1947, CAROLINE A COLLEGE TENNIS
CHAMPION DID HER BEST TO TEACH
HIM THE GAME.
ED WAS NEVER AT A LOSS FOR AN
OUTLET FOR HIS ENERGY.
HERE HE'S SKIPPING ROCKS.
THE RECALLS OFTEN SKATED ON A
CANAL.
HERE IS ED AT 70 SKATING ON HIS
DAUGHTER'S FARM POND WITH HIS
GRANDCHILDREN.
ED HAD AN ARTISTIC SIDE.
AS A YOUNGSTER HE WAS INTRIGUED
BY PHOTOGRAPHY.
HE FILMED HIS TRAVELS TO RUSSIA
AND TO THE MARSHALL ISLANDS IN
THE LATE 1950s.
ED INHERITED HIS MOTHER'S GIFT
OF MUSIC AND PLAYED PIANO FROM
AN EARLY AGE.
CLASSIC MUSIC WAS HIS FORTE.
SHARED BY WIFE CAROLINE AND
PASSED ON TO THEIR DAUGHTER.
AND GRANDDAUGHTERS.
SAILING WAS ANOTHER OF ED'S
PASSIONS.
WHILE IN NEW YORK HE EVEN BOUGHT
A SMALL SAILBOAT.
LATER HE SAILEDDED WITH CHRIS AN
ON THISSON UP AND DOWND THE EAST
COAST AS WELL AS FINLAND.
IN HIS LAST YEARS HE SAILED IN
THE CARIBBEAN WITH POST-DOCS
DOING GENETIC RESEARCH ON JELLY
FISH.
IF A SAIL SAILBOAT WASN'T
AVAILABLE HE COULD STILL BE
FOUND ON THE WATER.
IN 1947 ED JOINED THE ARMY.
AFTER A RIGOROUS BOOT CAMP HE
WAS STATIONED IN GERMANY.
LATER CAROLINE JOINED HIM AND
THEY TRAVELED THROUGHOUT EUROPE.
BACK IN THE U.S. HE FINISHED HIS
Ph.D. AT THE MAYO CLINIC AND
THEN WENT TO THE BIG APPLE TO
WORK AT SLOAN-KETTERING.
HE ENJOYED LAB WORK FOR MANY
YEARS.
BUT EVEN MORE SO NOW.
IN 1950 ED AND CAROLINE HAD A
DAUGHTER PRISCILLA.
PRISCILLA OR PIA SHE WAS
CALLINGED WAS OFTEN AT HIS SIDE
AND THIS WAS TRUE FOR MANY
YEARS.
IN 1953, ED AND CAROLINE HAD A
SON EDWARD CHRISTIAN CALLED
***.
HERE IS ED WITH HIS FAMILYS(S IN
1963.
IN 1979 ED WELCOMED HIS FIRST
GRANDCHILD, CAROLINE ELIZABETH.
ANOTHER GRANDCHILD AMANDA WAS
BORN IN 1980.
NO LONGER ED NOW BEING SERVED TO
PAPA.
POP POP SHARED HIS LOVE OF THE
FARM WITH CAROLINE AND AMANDA.
A THIRD GRANDDAUGHTER JOANNE WAS
BORN IN 1993.
ED WATCHED HIS GRANDCHILDREN
GROW, HERE THE PROUD GRANDFATHER
IS SHOWING OFF AMANDA'S
PRIZE-WINNING SCIENCE FAIR
PROJECT.
ED TRAVELED TO MOUNT HOLIOK TO
SEE CAROLYN GRADUATE IN 2001.
IN 2003 HE PROUDLY WATCHED AS
AMANDA GRADUATED FROM UNBC WITH
PIE BETA KAPPA ON -- PHI BETA
KAPPA HONORS.
ED'S SIGN ACTIVE IG CREDENTIALS
ARE WELL KNOWN.
HIS RESEARCH IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
WAS GROUNDS-BREAKING.
IN 1955 HE LEFT NEW YORK FOR
NIH.
HE WORKED LONG HOURS IN THE LAB
AND THAT LOVE OF BASIC SCIENCE
NEVER LEFT HIM.
HE FOSTERED THE WORK OF MANY WHO
LATER EARNED GREAT HONORS EVEN
AFTER RETIRING HE CONTINUED TO
WORK WITH POST DOCS AND HIS
INTEREST TURNED TO GENETICS AND
GENETIC SEQUENCING.
HIS FORMER POST-DOCS FROM THE
REPUBLIC VISITED HIM TWO MONTHS
BEFORE HE DIED WANTING HIS
FEEDBACK AND EDITORIAL SKILLS
BEFORE PUBLISHING THEIR LATEST
PAPER.
ED STILL REVELED IN GOOD
SCIENTIFIC DISCUSSIONS WITH
COLLEAGUES.
ED'S PURSUITS TOOK HIM TO THE
THE MARSHALL ISLANDS IN 1957 AND
'59 TO RESEARCH EFFECTS OF
RADIATION.
HE RETURNED FOUR TIMES IN THE
1970s HE ALSO WAS PART OF THE
FIRST SCIENTIFIC EXCHANGE WITH
THE SOVIET UNION.
ED MADE LIFE LONG FRIENDS WITH
HIS SCIENTIFIC COLLEAGUES ALL
OVER THE WORLD.
ONE OF HIS MOST ENDURING
RELATIONSHIPS WAS WITH JACK
ROBIN WHICH IS BEGAN IN NEW YORK
1949.
OTHERS WERE (INDISCERNIBLE) FROM
ENGLAND, HENRY METSGER, PHIL
GORDON, MARIO ANDRIOLI AND MANY,
MANY MORE.
EVEN AS HIS HEALTH FAILED HE DID
NOT WANT TO MISS THE ANNUAL FAES
CHRISTMAS PARTY EVEN THOUGH HE
PASSED AWAY TWO MONTHS LATER.
DR. JEW JEAN BRODY HIS OLD
FRIEND OF 60 PLUS FRIENDS
DESCRIBED ED RALL AS
INDOCUMENTABLE.
HE COULD BE FIERCE AND
FRIGHTENING BUT THERE WAS
ANOTHER SIDE TO ED RALL.
HE COULD BE A WILD MAN.
ALWAYS READY FOR A CHALLENGE,
SOMETHING NEW OR DIFFERENT.
NEVER AFRAID TO BE SILLY, BUT
WHEN HE WAS MELLOW HE WAS VERY,
VERY MELLOW.
ED RALL LOVED THE ARTS.
THE SCIENCE, AND KNOWLEDGE IN
GENERAL.
HE LIVEDDED HIS LIFE TO THE
FULLEST UNTIL THE END.
FACING EVERY CHALLENGE WITH
COURAGE AND GRACE.
ED RALL DIED FEBRUARY 28th,
2008 WITH HIS FAMILY BY HIS
SIDE.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS WONDERFUL
VIDEO PUT TOGETHER BY ED
RALL'S DAUGHTER PIA WHO IS WITH
US TODAY DESCRIBING THE MANY
FACETS OF THIS REMARKABLE
INDIVIDUAL WHO LEFT A REMARK AT
NIH THROUGH HIS LEADERSHIP AND
THE ENTIRE INTRAMURAL PROGRAM.
THE CULTURAL LECTURE WAS NAMED
IN HONOR OF ED RALL IN 2008 WHO
RECOGNIZED THE WAY HE SERVED AS
ONE OF THE LIONS OF THIS
INSTITUTION TO HELP DEFINE THIS
RESEARCH PROGRAM.
BUT ALSO TO RECOGNIZE HE WAS A
RENAISSANCE MAN WITH INTERESTS
THAT EXTENDED VERY BROADLY OF
MEDICINE, THE ARTS AND MUSIC.
EVERY YEAR WE GATHER TO
RECOGNIZE HIM AS A SPECIAL PART
OF OUR NIH FAMILY.
AND ALSO HAVE TO EXPAND OUR OWN
HORIZONS AS PART OF THIS
CULTURAL LECTURE INTO TERRITORY
THAT GOES A BIT BEYOND THE
WESTERN BLOCKS, THE STATISTICAL
IMAGEMENTS OF CLINICAL TRIAL
SIGNIFICANCE AND INTO OTHER
TERRITORY, TERRITORY THAT
ENRICHES OUR MINDS AND EXPANDS
OUR ABILITY TO APPRECIATE THE
NATURE OF HUMANITY.
WE ARE FORTUNATE INDEED TO HAVE
THIS YEAR AS OUR CULTURAL
LECTURER RITA DOVE WHO IS
CURRENTLY THE COMMONWEALTHPROFESSOR OF ENG LISH AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.
RITA HAS POETRY IN OUR HEART AND
MIND, AND YOU'LL HEAR THAT.
SHE HAS SCIENCE IN HER DNA
BECAUSE HER DAD WAS THE FIRST
BLACK RESEARCH CHEMIST TO BREAK
THE COLOR BARRIER IN THE POWER
INDUSTRY WORKING AT GOOD YEAR IN
AKRON OHIO WHERE RITA WAS BORN.
I'M SURE SHE GREW UP HEARING
ABOUT CHEMICAL REACTIONS,
MATERIALS AND THE LIKE.
APPARENTLY THAT WAS NOT EXACTLY
THE PATH OF HER.
WE ARE FORTUNATE SHE CHOOSE
ANOTHER ONE.SHE WENT TO THE MIME UNIVERSIT Y
OF OHIO WHERE SHE GOT A
FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP AND WENT-TO IOWA FOR A MASTERS OF FINE
ARTS AND THEN ON FROM THERE
TO -- STATE UNIVERSITY ON THE
FACULTY.IN 1987 SHE WON THE PULITZER
PRIZE IN POETRY FOR HER
COLLECTION OF POEMS CALLED
THOMAS AND BUELAH, VERY MUCH
FOCUSED IN A CERTAIN WAY ON HER
MATERNAL GRANDPARENTS THOMAS AND
GEORGEAIANA WHO IS NOT UTILIZED
IN THE LINE OF POETRY AS BUELAH.
SHE HAS CONTRIBUTED OVER THE
YEARS NO LESS THAN NINE BOOKS OF
POETRY, AND IN 1993, SHE WAS
APPOINTED AS THE POET LAUREATE
OF THE UNITED STATES.BECOMING AT THAT TIME THE
YOUNGEST POET LAUREATE AND THE
FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN POET
LAUREATE OF OUR NATION.
SHE'S RECEIVED MANY OTHER HONORS
INCLUDING THE NATIONALS
HUMANITIES MEDAL FROM PRESIDENT
CLINTON IN 1996, THE DUKE
ELLENTON LIFETIME AWARD, THE
FULBRIGHT LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
AWARDS AND THE MEDAL OF ARTS
FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA IN 2011.
SHE'S WRITTEN SHORT STORIES, A
NOVEL, TEXTS FOR VARIOUS MUSICAL
WORKS -- AND A DRAMA.
SHE'S A VERSATILE PERSON TO SAY
THE LEAST.
SHE'S EDITED MORE RECENT PENGUIN
ANTHOLOGY OF 20TH CENTURY POETRY
WHICH MANY OF US HAVE GREATLY
ENJOYED AS AN OPPORTUNITY TOSAMPLE SOME OF THE GREAT WORKS
OF THE LAST ENTRY THROUGH THE
EYES OF RITA DOVE.
HER MOTHER RECENT WORK WHICH SHE
WILL BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY WAS
CALLED BY THE NEW YORKER A
VIRTUE HE'SIC TREATMENT OF
A VIRTUOSO LIFE -- YET THE BOOK
REMAINS HIGH LAY ACCESSIBLE
READING MUCH LIKE AN HISTORICAL
NOVEL.
AN INTERESTING STORM SHE HAS
CHOSEN AND YOU WILL BE HEARING
FROM HER.
IF THAT WEREN'T ENOUGH SHE PLAYS
THE VERY OWE LAW AND THE SAMBA.
SHE SINGS THE BLUES AND TOGETHER
WITH HER HUSBAND -- WHO IS HERE
WITH US TODAY -- ARGENTINIAN --
SHE'S A GREAT DELIGHT AND HONOR
TO HAVE HER TODAY TO DELIVER THE
ANNUAL J. EDWARD RALL'S CULTURAL
LECTURE.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING RITADOVE.-[APP LAUSE]
>> GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU
ALL FOR COMING.
IT IS FOR ME A REAL DELIGHT TO
BE HERE.
I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY THIS
MORNING AND EARLIER IN THE
AFTERNOON TO GET A TOUR OF THE
CLINICAL CENTER WHICH IS OF
COURSE I COULDN'T DO IT ALL BUT
A LITTLE BIT OF THE PEDIATRIC
SECTION TO MEET WITH POST DOCS
AND TO SEE THE -- AND ALL I CAN
SAY IS THAT MY HAT IS OFF TO
YOU.
YOU'RE DOING REMARKABLE WORK.
I THINK THAT THIS WAY -- ALL OF
THE INTERESTS, THE ENTIRE LIFE
OF THE PATIENT, THE CLINICAL AS
WELL AS THE -- MEDICAL SIDE OF
TREATMENT IS ABSOLUTELY THE WAY
TO GO.
I TELL PEOPLE THAT TODAY SO I
FEEL HONORED TO BE HERE AS WELL.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK FRANCIS
COLLINS AND DIANE BAKER AND
EVERYONE HERE AT NIH AND
ESPECIALLY THE FAMILY OF J.
EDWARD RALL FOR MAKING THIS
LECTURE SERIES POSSIBLE.
IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN -- OF MINE
ALL OF US NEED TO BE PUSHED OUT
OF OUR CULTURE ZONES -- AND
WHILE I PUSH MY POETRY STUDENTS
INTO OTHER AREAS AS WELL,
SCIENCE MATH AND KICKING AND
SCREAMING THEY GO INTO VARIOUS
AREAS AND COME BACK.
BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE ALL
PERPETUAL STUDENTS AND OUR MINDS
ARE OPEN TO SOMETHING NEW.
SOMETIMES IT WAS FRIGHTENING
THAT THE OLDEST FAMILIAR GETS
REFRESHED AND ENERGIZED.
TODAY I AM GOING TO TALK TO YOU
ABOUT MULATTICA.
SONATA MULATTICA, THIS BOOK, IS
THE STORY OF SOMEONE WHO HAS
BEEN -- HIS NAME WAS -- AUGUSTUS
BRIDGETOWER WHO WAS OF MIXED
RACE PRODIGY VIOLIN -- IN VIENNA
IN 1803 WHEN HE PREMIERED
COMPOSE THE EXPRESSIVE FOR HIM
BY NONE OTHER THAN LUDWIG
BETHOVEN.-IT WAS A VIOLIN SONATA IN A
MAJOR WHICH IS KNOWN AS THE --
SONATA.
BUT WHY WE HAVE NEVER HEARD OF
RICH COLLINS AND WHY BETHOVEN
DEDICATED ONE OF HIS MOST FAMOUS
SONATAS TO ANOTHER MUSICIAN WHO
BY THE WAY RUDOLPH -- NEVER
PLAYED IT.
HE TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND SAID IT
WAS UNPLAYABLE.
THIS IS THE MYSTERY -- THAT WE
HAVE IN THE CHRONICLE OF
BRIDGETOWER THAT RISE AND FALL
FROM GRACE.
I DECIDED TO TELL IT THROUGH A
SERIES OF POEMS PLUS A SHORT
PLAY A PART IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
BOOK.
THE AND REVIEW IT AS FRANCIS'--
POETIC SEQUENCE EXCEPT THAT
THERE'S A PLAY IN THE MIDDLE.
IT'S CALLED A -- CHARACTERS IN
IT ARE TRUE AND FACTS OF THEIR
LIFE ARE TRUE AS PRESENTED IN
THIS BOOK.
AND THERE ARE MANY CHARACTERS.
THERE'S GREAT MUSICIANS KING
GEORGE THE FOURTH.
AND IT'S ALSO BEEN CALLED A LONG
POEM ALTHOUGH WHEN I WENT BACK
AND COUNTED HOW MANY POEMS THERE
WERE IN IT, THERE WERE 84 PLUS
THAT PLAY OF COURSE.
SO I'LL LEAVE THE CATEGORIZATION
TO THOSE WHO GET SATISFACTION
FROM THAT KIND OF ACTIVITY AND
TAKE YOU INTO THIS BOOK.
HERE ARE THE BOLD FACTS THAT GOT
ME STARTED.
AND WILL GET US STARTED.
GEORGE POLGREEN AUGUSTUS
BRIDGETOWER WAS THE SON OF A
WHITE MOTHER WHO HAILED FROM
WHAT IS NOW POLAND.
AND FATHER WHO BILLED HIMSELF AS
THE AFRICAN PRINCE.
NO ONE KNOWS WHERE EXACTLY HE
CAME FROM BUT YOU GET AN INKLING
WHAT HIS CHARACTER LOOKED
BACK -- BUT HE WAS BORN GEORGE
BRIDGETOWER SOMEWHERE IN WHAT IS
NOW MODERN DAY HUNGARY.
THIS IS AN ANTICIPATED LIFE
ALREADY.-THE FATHER WAS A PERSONAL VALET
TO PRINCE -- IN HUNGARY AND
THAT'S WHERE WE FIRST HERE TELL
OF GEORGE BRIDGETOWER WHO WAS
BORN AROUND 1780 AND DIED 80
YEARS LATER IN LONDON UNDER
QUEEN VICTORIA -- WHAT, THE
REASON WHY WE EVEN KNOW THAT
MUCH, WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT THAT
WHEN HE WAS A FAMOUS MUSICIAN
ALREADY AS A YOUNG MAN.
HE TRAVELED TO VIENNA TO MEET
BETHOVEN AND BETHOVEN SAW WHAT
HE WAS DOING, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY
WRITING THIS -- AND COMPOSED
THIS SONATA.
AND BRIDGETOWER PREMIERED IT AND
BETHOVEN WAS AT THE PIANO WHICH
WAS A PRETTY AMAZING THING
ALREADY.
A FEW WEEKS LATER, HOWEVER,
BRIDGETOWER WAS ON HIS WAY BACK
TO ENGLAND, BETHOVEN HAD ALREADY
DESTROYED THE ORIGINAL
DEDICATION ALL BECAUSE OF A
SALTY COMMENT THAT BRIDGETOWER
HAD MADE ABOUT A GIRL TO WHICH
BETHOVEN TOOK OFFENSE.
AND SO GEORGE BRIDGETOWER
APPEARS FROM THE ANNALS OF
HISTORY.
THOSE ARE THE FACTS.
BUT AS A PHYSICIST -- ONCE SAID,
HE SAID THIS IN HIS FIRST
MEETING WITH BRENNER HIGHSENBERG
IN 1920 -- AND I QUOTE WE MUST
BE CLEAR THAT WHEN IT COMES
TO -- LANGUAGE CAN BE USED ONLY
AS IN POETRY.
POET TOO IS NOT NEARLY SO
CONCERNED WITH DESCRIBING FACTS
AS WITH CREATING IMAGES.
I LOVE THE FACT THAT HE'S A POET
TOO, HE ACCEPTS THE FACT THAT
THE PHYSICIST CREATES -- AND
USING POETRY.
I'VE OFTEN FELT THAT THOSE
EDGES, THE VERY EDGES OF ANY
KIND OF DISCOVERY BE IT
HISTORICAL OR SCIENTIFIC OR
IMAGINARY -- THERE'S ALWAYS A
LITTLE BIT OF POETRY AND
IMAGINATION INVOLVE.LET ME START WITH THE POEM.
LET ME START WITH THE FIRST POEM
IN THE BOOK JUST TO CLEAR THE
AIR.GIVES YOU ALL OF THE FACTS THAT
WE KNOW AT THIS MOMENT.
AND I DID THAT BECAUSE I REALLY
WANTED THIS BOOK NOT TO BE
ABOUT, I DIDN'T WANT TO BE A BBC
RECREATION OF HIS LIFE BUT I
REALLY WANTED TO HAVE YOU, TO
SLIP INTO THE, FEEL WHAT IT WAS
LIKE TO BE THESE PEOPLE AT THAT
AGE.-THE MOMENT IS CALLED THE-BRIDGETOWER.
THE POEM IS CALLED THE
BRIDGETOWER.
IF AT THE BEGINNING, IF HE HAD
BEEN OLDER, IF HE HADN'T BEEN
DARK, BROWN EYES ABLAZE IN THAT
REMARKABLE SAFE.IF HE HAD NOT BEEN SO GIFT ED, SO
YOUNG GENIUS WITH NO TIME TO
GROW UP.
IF HE HADN'T GROWN UP
UNDISTINGUISHED TO AN OBSCURE
OLD AGE.
IF THE PIECE HAD ACTUALLY BEEN
AS HARD TO EXPLAIN, EXPLAINABLE
EVEN AFTER OUR MEN PLAYED IT AND
FOR YEARS NO ONE ELSE WAS ABLE
TO FOLLOW.
SO THAT THE COMPOSER'S FURY
WOULD HAVE RAGED FOR NOT AND
WAGGING TONGUES COULD KEEP THE
LIVES, THE ORIGINAL DEDICATION
FROM THE TITLE PAGE IS SHREDDED.
OH, IF ONLY LUDWIG HAD BEEN
BETTER LOOKING OR CLEANER OR
REAL ARISTOCRAT, FUN INSTEAD OF
THE UNACCEPTABLE PSALM FROM SOME
RICH FARMER -- COULD HAVE FOUND
TRUE LOVE THEN THE STORIES WOULD
HAVE HELD.
IN 1803 GEORGE BRIDGE TOWN SON
OF FREED RICK AUGUSTUS THE
AFRICAN PRINCE AND MARIA -- IN
POLAND TRAVELED FROM LONDON TO-VIENNA WHER E HE MET THE GREAT
MASTER WHO WOULD STOP WORK ON
HIS THIRD SYMPHONY TO WRITE A
SONATA FOR HIS NEW FRIEND.
HE PREMIERED TRIUMPHANTLY ON MAY
THIS -- MULATTICA.
WHO KNOWS WHAT MIGHT HAVE
FOLLOWED.
SOME CRAZY GUYS FOLLOWING THE
TOWN LIKE ROCK STARS HITTING THEBAR FOR A FEW BEERS, A FEW
LAUGHS.-INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING OUT OVER A
GIRL NOBODY REMEMBERS.
NOBODY KNOWS.
THEN THIS BRIGHT SKINNED -- BOY
COULD HAVE SAILED HIS 15 MINUTES
FAME STRAIGHT INTO THE RECORD
BOOK WHERE -- SPRINKLED HERE AND
THERE.
WE WOULD FIND BLACK KIDS
SCRATCHING OUT SCALES ON THEIR
MATCH BOX VIOLINS SO THAT SOME
DAY THEY MIGHT PLAY THE
IMPOSSIBLE.
BETHOVEN SONATA NUMBER 9 IN A
MAJOR OPUS 47.
ALSO KNOWN AS THE BRIDGETOWER.
YOU KNOW WHEN I BEGAN THIS BOOK,
AND IT BEGAN WITH AN ACCIDENT, A
CHANCE SPRING OF MY HUSBAND AND
I WERE WATCHING THE IMMORTAL
BELOVED, A WILD PICK ON BAY
--BETHOVEN.ON NETFLIX.
THERE'S A SEEN WHERE BETHOVEN
WALKS BY A GROUP OF MUSICIANS
AND ONE OF THEM WAS BLACK.
AND I SAID NO, THAT DOESN'T
WORK, THAT DOESN'T COMPUTE.
THIS WAS WAY BACK IN 2005, 2004.
SO I WENT TO THE COMPUTER AND
GOOGLED BLACK MUSICIANSBETHOVEN, NOT KNOWI NG HIS NAME.
AND THEN UP TOP BRIDGETOWER.
AND THAT'S WHERE IT BEGAN.
BUT MY IMAGE OF BRIDGETOWER THEN
WAS OF A YOUNG MAN IN HIS PRIME,
VERY ACCOMPLISHED AND CHARMING
ENOUGH THAT CHARMED BETHOVEN
INTO DO THIS SONATA.I COULDN'T LET GO OF T HE FACT
HOWEVER THAT WE KNEW NOTHING
ABOUT HIM.-AND SO I BEGAN TO DO RESEARCH.
AND SOME PEOPLE MAY THINK THAT
POETS DON'T DO RESEARCH.
YES, WE DO.
I LOVE DOING RESEARCH JUST
TRYING TO DIG AND FIND THINGS
OUT.
WHAT I COULD FIND OUT THE WORDS
IN FRAGMENTS AND LITTLE PIECES.
IT GRADUALLY ASSEMBLED
THEMSELVES INTO A PORTRAIT OF A
LOST LITTLE BOY WHO ONLY TRUE
LANGUAGE WAS MUSIC.
HE BEGAN ACTUALLY AS A FIVE YEAR
OLD -- WHO HAPPENED TO BE THE
CHOIR MASTER -- AT THIS SAME
HUNGARIAN ESTATE.
AND HE DISCOVERED THIS BOY HAD
AN APTITUDE FOR ENGAGING HIS
VIOLIN LESSONS.
THE FATHER THE AFRICAN PRINCE,
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HIS SON IS
A PRODIGY, DECIDES TO TAKE HIM
ON THE ROAD.
YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THERE WERE
NO iPODS OR RECORDING STUDIOS.
IF YOU WERE A MUSICIAN, YOU
PERFORMED, YOU GOT THE MUSIC
LIVE WHEREVER YOU WENT.
SO HE TOOK THE SON ON THE ROAD
BY THE TIME HE WAS NINE.
AND THE IDEA WAS ANY NOVELTY,
THIS WAS THE ADVERTISEMENT.
ANY NOVELTY PEAKS PEOPLE'S
INTERESTS.AND SO THE FATHER BILLS HIM AS
HI YOUNG VERSION OF THE AFRICAN
PRINCE AND DRESSED HIM IN ALL OF
THESE FANTASTIC CLOTHES.-THEY ARRIVED AT O NE OF THE FIRST
STOPS THAT WE FIND THEM IN IS
THE -- IN 1789.
NOT A GOOD YEAR TO BE IN PARIS
ACTUALLY.-BUT THAT'S HISTORY.THERE ARE REC ORDS THAT HE PLAYED
A CONCERT IN PARIS AT THE
WONDERFUL PLACE THAT HAD
CONCERTS.
AND IT WAS ONE OF THE PLACES
THAT A LOT OF DIGNITARIES AND A
LOT OF GOVERNMENT PEOPLE WOULD
COME, I GUESS JUST LIKE THE
KENNEDY FAMILY WOULD COME TO
HEAR PEOPLE.
AND THIS IS WHERE THIS YOUNG
9-YEAR-OLD BOY IS SHOVED OUT ON
STAGE.SO THIS HOME IS TOLD FROM HIS
POINT OF VIEW IS CALLED WHATDOESN'T HAPPEN .
THE NOTION THAT THE CARRIAGE
WHEELS CLATTERRING TO PARISREMINDS HIM OF THE DRUMS WHEN
THE ISLANDS IN HIS FATHER'S --
CLICK CLACK, HE COULD MAKE A
SONG OF IT.
THEN HIS -- DOWN THE COBBLES --
AS HE BALANCES HIS SMALL WEIGHT
AGAINST THE PRICKING CUSHION --
ALL THE CADENCES JUMBLED
TOGETHER EXCEPT THE SUDDEN ARE
DIRGE OF THE PARTS.
HE COULD SEE THE VIOLIN CASE ON
HIS LAP -- LIKE AN ANIMAL
TRAPPED UNDER THE HUNTER'S EYES.
HE CAN SENSE DOWN SHROUDED
ALLEYS DANGER RUSTLING -- OF THE
POOR MARCH CHALLENGE TOWARD HIM.%THOUGH NO NE OF THIS IS TRUE.
HE HEARS NOTHING BUT CLATTER.
HE CAN'T SEE THE ARC -- HE
CLIMBS DOWN TO BE INTO THE
MECCA, HIS FATHER'S CLOAK FOLDED
BACK LIKE A BAT TUCKED WING.
BECAUSE IT WAS A DRY SPRING THAT
YEAR ON THE CONTINENT.
NONETHELESS, HE IGNORES HIS
HEART FLUTTERING AND STEPS OUT
ON TO THE FLICKER STAGE DEEP AND
TREACHEROUS AS A LAKE STILL
FROZEN AT SUNSET.
A GLOW WITH REFLECTED LIGHT.
SOON THE MUSIC WILL TAKE HIM
ACROSS.
HE'LL FEEL EACH STRING ESTACY
DRUM IN HIS HEAD AND ONLY THEN
DARE TO OPEN HIS EYES TO GAZE
PAST THE FOOT LIGHTS AT THE ROWS
OF POWDERED CURLS.
LET'S SEE THE TOY BEAR JUMP THE
HOOP.-NODDING YET POISED.
NOT HEARING BUT JUDGING.
EXCEPT FOR THAT TALL MAN ON
ISLES -- BUT THE OTHER, ALL THE
OTHER DARK, DARK YET WARM AS THE
VIOLIN'S GROUND -- MIRACULOUS
CREATURE WHO FASTENS THE SOLEMN
BLACK GAZE ON THE BOY AS IF TO
SAY YOU ARE WHAT I AM.
WHAT I YEARN TO BE.
SO THAT HE PLAYS ONLY FOR HER
AND NOT HER KEEPER.
AND WHEN HE IS FINALLY FREE TO
SPARE BACK -- RIPPLING OVER THE
RAMPARTS,N'T THEN HE DOES NOTSMILE.
DOES ANYONE KNOW WHO THAT
ORANGED-HAIR MIGHT POSSIBLY BE.
YOU DIDN'T KNOW THERE WOULD BE A
QUIZ, DID YOU.
WHO IN THAT AUDIENCE.
YES, IT'S JEFFERSON.-AND JEFFERSON WAS IN PARIS AT
THAT TIME.AND OF COURSE HE WAS A VIOLINIST
AND I KEPT THINKING WOULDN'T IT
BE WONDERFUL IF JEFFERSON HAD
GONE TO A CONCERT AND SEEN THIS
YOUNG BOY PLAY.
AND I WAS FOR A LONG TIME
WRITING THIS POEM BECAUSE I
COULDN'T FIND ANY EVIDENCE THAT
JEFFERSON HAD HAD BEEN THERE.
AND I FRETTED SO LONG MY HUSBAND
FINALLY SAID JUST CALL IT AS IT
DIDN'T HAPPEN AND MAKE IT UP.
HE WAS TIRED OF HEARING THIS.
WHICH I WHAT I DID.
AND ONLY AFTER I FINISHED THE
POEM -- ONLY AFTER I FINISHED
THE POEM DID I GET A CALL FROM
SOMEONE FROM MONTECELLO WHO KNEW
I WAS WORKING FOR THIS AND SAID
WE JUST GOT A NEW -- IT'S A VERY
FRESH LIFE BOOK, IT'S A CATALOG
OF JEFFERSON'S HOUSEKEEPING
DETAILS.-HE KEPT REALLY GOOD ACCOUNTS.
AND IN IT WAS AN ACCOUNT OF
EVERY CONCERT THAT HE HAD GONE
TO.HE NOT ONLY DID THAT BUT HE
WROTE DOWN WHAT THE PROGRAM WAS.
AND HE HAD GONE TO A CONCERT, A
BRIDGETOWER CONCERT.-SO I COULD HAVE CHANG ED THE
TITLE BUT I KEPT IT.
BECAUSE AFTER ALL WE DON'T KNOWIF IT WAS H IM IN THAT AUDIENCE.
SO I'LL TAKE -- ON THAT.
I'D LIKE TO SAY AT THIS POINT
THAT MY, YOU KNOW, WHERE MY
INFORMATION CAME FROM AND HOW IT
CAME IN DRIBS AND DRABS.
IT WAS DIFFICULT TO BE IN THAT
NARROW ROOM FOR THAT LONG AND
REALIZED WOMEN SIMPLY WEREN'T
ASKED.-THEY DIDN'T COUNT FOR MUCH IN
THIS WORLD.-BUT EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS THE
CASE, A LOT OF MY INFORMATION
CAME FROM A WOMAN.
AND SHE WAS THE WARDROBE KEEPER
TO THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND.
HER NAME WAS CHARLOTTE -- AND
CHARLOTTE'S HUSBAND WAS AN
AMATEUR MUSICIAN.
AND WHEN THE BRIDGETOWER LEFT
PARIS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T STAY IN
PARIS IN 1789 IF YOU WANTED TO
HAVE A QUIET LIFE.
AND THEN WHEN THEY LEFT PARIS
THEY WENT TO LONDON AND TO
GREATER BRITAIN IN SEARCH OF A
SPONSOR.-AND THEY STARTED AT THE TOP AND
THEY STARTED THIS YOU KNOW ROYAL
FAMILY.
AND EVENTUALLY FOUND A SPONSORIN THE PRINC E OF WALES, HER
HUSBAND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN
HELPING GIVE THE FIRST CONCERT
CREATED FOR THIS YOUNG
VIOLINIST.
HE WAS A CLARINETIST AND
CHARLOTTE KEPT A JOURNAL.
KEPT A JOURNAL BECAUSE CHILDREN
IN LATER YEARS TOLD HER TO WRITE
DOWN EVERYTHING SHE REMEMBERED.-THEY THOUG HT OF IT AS THERAPY,
SHE WAS RECOVERING FROM AN
OPERATION AND WAS DEPRESSED AND
SHE BEGAN TO WRITE ABOUT
EVERYTHING SHE HAD DONE.
IT'S LITTERED ON CLOTHING --
COURT LIFE AND BRIDGETOWER AND
HIS FATHER APPEAR QUITE A BIT
LIKE WHEN HE WAS VERY YOUNG.
THAT HELPED ME THEN FIND OTHER
SOURCES LOOKING MOSTLY INTO THE
FOOTNOTE OF THINGS.
OF ACCOUNTS TO FIND THEM,
INDICATIONS OF WHERE HE LIVED
AND HOW HE LIVED.
SO THEY DO HEAD ACROSS THE
CHANNEL TO ENGLAND AND THEIR
FIRST STOP IS BY THE SEA
SHORE -- THE PRINCE OF WALES WHO
SUFFERED FROM GOUT, WAS TAKING
THE WATERS.
AND IN BRIGHTEN.
HE WAS ALSO BUILDING IN BRIGHTEN
A KIND OF AN AMUSEMENT, HIS
SUMMER HOME, HIS PALACE CALLED
THE MARINE PAVILION.IF ANY OF YOU HAVE SEE N IT, IT'S
QUITE AN ASTONISHING BUILDING TO
APPEAR IN ENGLAND.
IT'S SORT OF LIKE, I THINK IF
YOU VISUALIZE IT AS THE LOVE
CHILD OF THE TAJ MAHAL AND A
WEDDING CAKE.
[LAUGHTER]IT'S INCREDIBLE.JUST KEPT ADDING AND ADDING TO
IT.
BUT HE LOVED ALL THINGS
BEAUTIFUL, ALL THOSE -- AND HE
LOVED MUSIC.
AND SO IN THIS POEM, THE FATHER,
THE AFRICAN PRINCE IS COUNSELING
HIS SON ON HOW TO DRESS FOR
SUCCESS BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO
MEET THE STRINGS.
AND HE'S DRESSING HIM UP AS WHAT
ONE IMAGINES AN AFRICAN PRINCE
WOULD LOOK LIKE TODAY WHICH
MEANT OH MORE OTTOMANS, MORE
VEILED AND FLARED PANTS.
THE WOMAN IS CALLED THE
WARDROBE -- AND THIS IS THE
FATHER SPEAKING.
EVERYONE IN THIS -- VILLAGE
BELIEVES AN AFRICAN LOVE COLOR.
SO LET IT BE READ FOR OUR
PROMENADE WITH A FLASH OF YELLOW
TO INFLAME THEIR WATER AND
SENSIBILITY.I THINK IT'S THE SON STILL
YEARNING FOR.
BLUE, SADDENED THIS CLOSE TO THE
SEA.
TURQUOISE IS BECKENNING, AN
EMERALD IS BEST INTERTAINED ONLY
IN FURNISHING.-WHO ARE THE PLOTS OF A SOUR CE.
LET'S NOT FORGET IT.
YET WHAT AN ASPECT WOULD PROJECT
UNLEASHED AMONG THE MASSES.
AGAINST THE DARKER PALACE, ANY
COLOR -- THE MAIN THING IS
FABRIC AND PLENTY OF IT.
CLOUDS OF SILK, WAVES OF DAMASK
TO BE CAST OFF -- YOU'LL LEARN
THESE SOPHISTICATIONS IN TIME.
FOR NOW IT'S ENOUGH TO REMEMBER
WE ARE HERE TO CONFOUND THEM.
THESE WISENNED -- MACHINE.
SO BRIGHT FASHIONS AND BILLOWING
SLEEVES RINGS ON AS MANY FINGERS
AS YOU DARE, PERHAPS A TURBAN OR
SOME OTHER HEADRESS -- THE
LADIES ADORE A CAPE.
DIFFERENT FROM A CLOAK.
THIS YOU CAN WEAR INSIDE WHERE
ONE BRISK WHIRL WILL CONJURE A
FABLE OF PERFUMED TRYST AND --
DID NOT EMASCULATE.
EACH STEP BECOMES NECESSARILY
DELIBERATE AND SO WOULD CALL THE
BOUDOIR.
DON'T FLINCH -- WHAT WAITS
BEHIND EACH SMILE THAT UNVOICE
SIGH OF ACCOMPANYING YOUR EVERY
TROMOLO.GO AHEAD THE UP TURNED FACES IN
THE CONCERT HALL -- GLISTENING
CHEEKS, I'VE SEEN IT BOY EVEN
FOR ONE YOUNG AS YOU.
AH, THE LADIES ARE ALWAYS BOARD
AND LONELY.
YOU WILL NOT NEED A HORSE IF YOU
HAVE A CAPE.
THE FATHER WAS QUITE A CHARMER
BY ALL ACCOUNTS.
HE KNEW ABOUT SEVEN LANGUAGES
AND COULD WOO LADIES IN ALL
THOSE LANGUAGES AND WAS QUITE A
HIT IN ENGLAND AND LONDON.
YOUNG BRIDGETOWER WOULD APPEAR
AND HE WOULD APPEAR IN THE
THEATRES IN LONDON PLAYING --
BETWEEN VARIOUS LONGER PIECES.
WAS QUITE A SENSATION.
THE ROAD HE HAD TO WALK WAS MADE
OF INCREDIBLE STUFF MAYBE LIKE
SOME KIND OF OTTOMAN.
THE ROAD THAT HE WALKED LED BY
THE ADELPHIA THEATRE -- HE
PROBABLY WAS IN SOME WAR HE HAD
A PEG LAYING AND HE FIDDLED AND
GOT HIS CHANGE THERE, HIS WAY OF
LIVING THERE.
HE EVENTUALLY BECAME SO, HE WAS
SUCH A BELOVED FIGURE THAT HE
WAS FEATURED IN SOME PLAYS AND
STUFF LIKE THAT IN LONDON TOO.
BUT I TRIED TO IMAGINE WHAT
WOULD HAPPEN, THIS YOUNG LITTLE
BOY AND HIS FATHER WALKING BY
YET ANOTHER BLACK FACE WAS ALSO
A FIDDLER.
SO THIS IS BILLY WALKER'S SONG
AS HE WATCHES THEM GO BY.
BLACK BILLY WALKER AT HIS PITCH.
ALL MEN ARE BAKERS WHITE OR
BLACK.-SOME WORSHIP GOLD, SOME PEDAL
BRASS.
MY ONLY HOUSE IS ON MY BACK.
I PLAY MY FIDDLE, I STAY ON
TRACK, GIVE MY PEG LEG THANK YOU
SIRE -- BLACK.
ALL MEN ARE BAKERS, WHITE OR
BLACK.AND THE PLINK IN MY COMPANY --
MY ONLY HOUSE IS ON MY BACK.
THE SOLDIER ONCE LED A FAILED
ATTACK ON THAT COUNTRY FOR
THE -- JACK ALL MEN ARE BAKERS
WHITE OR BLACK.
CRIPPLED AS A CRAB, SUGARY AS
SASSAFRAS.
I'M BLACK BILLY WATERS AND YOU
CAN KISS MY SWEET ***.
MY ONLY HOUSE WEIGHS ON MY BACK.
THREW HE STRUTS LIKE A TURKISH
CRACKER JACK.
TO THIS BRIGHT BROWN UP START
HACK AMONG KINGS, ONE PIECE OF
ADVICE.DON'T UNPACK.
ALL THE HOME YOU'LL OWN IS ON
YOUR BACK.
THE PRICE OF THE MEAN COG NAC
LIKE A GAY SONG -- ALL MAN ARE
BAKERS WHITE OR BLACK.
SO LET'S SCRAPE THE CAT GUT
CLEAN, STACK THE CORDS THREE
DEEP.
SEE, I'M NO QUACK.
FOR MY ONLY HOUSE IS ON MY BACK.
ALL MEN ARE GREAT, WHITE OR-BLACK.
THAT'S A FORM OF POETIC FORM
CALLED -- REPEATING LINES.WHEN I WAS THINK ING ABOUT WHAT
KIND OF MUSIC WOULD BILLY'S HOME
BE.
I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, A GROUP
OVER AND OVER IN A CYCLE AND
HENCE THAT FORM WHICH IS KIND OF
FUN AND KIND OF TORTUROUS.
DON'T UNPACK PROVED TO BE TRUE
BECAUSE THE FATHER WOOs ONE
TOO MANY LADIES AND THE PRINCE
ESSENTIALLY DEPORTS HIM.HE TELLS ME YOU HA VE TO LEAVE
THE COUNTRY AND OFFERS TO TAKE
CARE OF THE BOY AND PAYS HIM.
SO HERE YOU HAVE A YOUNG
TEN-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO IS UNDER
THE CARE OF THE ROYAL PRINCE AND
HE HASN'T MADE -- EXCEPT HE HAS
NO FAMILY AND HE HAS NO TONGUE.
HE HAS NO, YOU KNOW, HE'S
ENGLISH AND HE'S ALL ALONE AT-THE TOP OF T HE WORLD.
THE FIRST THING THAT THE PRINCE
SAYS TO HIM IS THAT WE HAVE TO
GET YOU OUT THOSE UNGODLY
CLOTHES.-AND SO THIS IS THE BOY TAKING
OFF THE CLOTHES HIS FATHER GAVE
HIM.THE UNDRESSING.
FIRST THE SASH, HE TALKED BLUE.
SILK UNFURLING ROUND AND ROUND
UNTIL I'M THE INDIA INK DOTTING
OF COLD BRITISH EYES.
NOW I CAN BEND TO PEEL OFF MY
SHOES.-TRY TO HOOK THE TASSELS INTO THE
EMERALD SAILS OF MY PANTLOONS --
BLUE SHIRT WHITE AND PART AS THE
PRINCE ONCE LET ME TOUCH.
GOOD-BYE MEADOW, GOOD-BYE
HUMMING BIRD.-NO MORE GAMES.
I AM TO BECOME A PROPER
GENTLEMAN, CUFFED AND BUCKLED --
BUT HOW.
MY TOSSED BED GLOWS WHILE I AM A
SMUDGE, A QUENCHED WICK, A TWIG
SHROUDED IN SNOW.
THIS IS WHERE CHARLOTTE'S
JOURNAL IN TERMS OF HELPING ME
WITH THE LIFE OF THE YOUNG
BRIDGETOWER.THIS IS WHERE THEY LEAVE HIM.
AND WE GET CASES EVERY ONCE IN A
WHILE THAT HE DOES WELL.
HE DOES BECOME THAT PROPER
BRITISH GENTLEMAN.-HE IS FIRST CHAIR IN TH E
PRINCE'S OWN PRIVATE ORCHESTRA.
BUT IT'S LEFT UP TO THE
IMAGINATION WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO
BE THAT YOUNG MAN.
THERE'S ONLY ONE PORTRAIT OF HIM
AND IT'S UNFINISHED.HE WAS QUITE A LOOKER.
AND I IMAGINE HE WAS QUITE A
CHARMER AS WELL.THE NEXT TIME WE PICK UP A NY
INDICATION FOR HIM IN TERMS
OF -- IS IN VIENNA IN 1802, HE
GOES TO VIENNA.
YOU ASK YOURSELF NOW WHY WOULD
HE LEAVE THIS CUSHY JOB TO TAKE
A LEAVE FROM HIS JOB AND GO TO
VIENNA.-BECAUSE HIS PASSION WAS MUSIC.
AND HE WAS BY ALL ACCOUNTS A
PHENOMENAL PLAYER.
AND SO WHAT WAS THE MOST
PHENOMENAL VIOLINIST OF ENGLAND
WANTS TO DO TO MEET THE MOST
PHENOMENAL COMPOSER.
BECAUSE AT THIS TIME, ONE OF THE
THINGS I FOUND INCREDIBLE IN
RESEARCH YOU REAL EYE THAT I
BROUGHT MY OWN PREJUDICES FROM
MY ERA INTO THAT ONE, THAT JUST
AS THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF LOOKING
AT WHAT AN AFRICAN OR MIXED-RACE
CHRISTMAS COLOR WAS LIKE, HOW
PEOPLE APPREHENDED THEM.-THAT WAS VERY DIF FERENT FROM THE
WAY THAT WE LOOK AT RACE TODAY
BECAUSE IT WAS NOT BURDENED WITH
ALL THE HISTORY OF THAT RACE
YET.-YOU KNOW.
AT THIS POINT.BUT JUST THAT WAS HAPPENING.
ALSO TO REALIZE BETHOVEN WAS
NOT -- HE WAS A RADICAL PERSON.
HE WAS OFTEN CALLED A MOOR
BECAUSE OF HIS DARK COLORING BUT
ALSO BECAUSE HE ALSO WORKED
QUITE A REBEL.
HE WAS LIABLE TO TEAR THINGS UP
AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE.
AND THIS MUSIC WAS VERY RADICAL.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS YOUNG
MUSICIAN BRIDGETOWER WANTED TO
BE PUSHED TO HIS LIMIT.
SO HE TRAVELED TO VIENNA TO MEET
BETHOVEN.-WELL HE DOESN'T KNOW BUT THE
WORLD DOESN'T KNOW IS THAT
BETHOVEN IS GRADUALLY GONE DEAF.BY ALL ACC OUNTS BETHOVEN'S
DEAFNESS WAS A LINGERING
DIMINISHMENT.
THERE WERE GOOD DAYS AND BAD
DAYS.
SQUAWKS AND BACKGROUND NOISE.-WE HAVE BETH OVEN TRYING TO
DECIDE IF IN FACT HE IS GOING TO
GO BACK TO VIENNA.
HE'S GONE AND TAKEN HIS OWN KIND
OF LEAVE OF ABSENCE.
HE'S GONE TO THE COUNTRY SIDE
FOR A CURE THAT DOESN'T WORK.
AND HE'S TRYING TO CONSIDER
GOING BACK.
SO THIS IS LUDWIG VON BETHOVEN'S
RETURN TO VIENNA.
THREE MILES FROM MY ADOPTED CITY
LIES A VILLAGE WHERE I CAME TO-PEACE.
THE WORLD THERE WAS A CALM
PLACE.
EVEN THE GREAT -- NO MORE THAN A
PALE RIBBON TOSSED ON TO THE
LANDSCAPE BY A GIRL'S HAIRLESS
HAND.
INTO THIS STILLNESS I HAVE BEEN
ORDERED TO RECOVER.
THE HILLS WITH GOLD OF LATE
SUMMER.MY RUINS WERE TOO PLUS A SMALL
KITCHEN SITUATED UP STAIRS IN
THE BACK OF A COTTAGE AT THE END
OF A -- FROM MY WINDOW I COULD
SEE ON TO THE COURTYARD WHERE A
LYNDON TREE CLIMBED SKYWARD
LEASING THE UMBILICUS TOWARDLIFE -- IN THE VERY ACTS OF
YEARNING.AND I WOULD FEED ON THE SUN IF
THAT ALONE WOULD DISMANTLE THE
SILENCE AROUND YOU.
AT FIRST I RAGED.
THEN MUSIC RAGED IN ME, RISING
SO SWIFTLY I COULD NOT RIGHT
QUICKLY ENOUGH TO EASE THE
ROYALING.-I WOULD STOP TO LIGHT A LAMP AND
WHATEVER I MISSED, LARKS --
RUSHED IN AND I WOULD RAGE
AGAIN.
I AM BY NATURE A CONFLAGRATION.
I WOULD RATHER LAP THAN SIT AND
BE LOOK ADD IT.
WHEN MY PROUD CITY RED WITH
GYPSY SKIRTS I REENTERED BURNING
TOWARD HER GREATER CONSTANT
LIFE.CALL ME ROUGH, ILL TEMPERED,
SLOUGHENLY.EVERY TEMPER WAS NOTHING BUT
THWARTED VIOLENCE, AN ACHE SO
PERMANENT AND DEEP, THE LIGHTEST
TOUCH AWAKENS HIM.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CARE ENOUGH.
I HAVE RETURNED WITH THE SECOND
SYMPHONY AND 15 PIANO VARIATIONS
WHICH I'VE NAMED PROMEET JUST
THE HALF OF GOD TAKING WHAT
CANNOT BE GIVEN BACK.
I SMALL AND BOW AND THE WORLD IS
LOUD.
AND THOUGH I DARE NOT LEAN IN TO
SHOT, -- TO SHOUT, CAN'T YOU SEE
I'M DEAF, I ALSO CANNOT STOP-LISTENING.
THE CENTRAL MYSTERY OF THIS TIME
IS WHY, WHY DID HE STOP WRITING,
WORKING ON THE THIRD SYMPHONY TO
COMPOSE THE SONATA FOR HIS OWN
EDITION.-WHY WAS HE SO MUCH BETTER OR
DIFFERENT THAN ALL THE OTHER
INCREDIBLE MUSICIANS WHO
SURROUNDED BETHOVEN AT THAT
TIME.AND THE KEY TO THAT I THINK CAME
FROM FOR ME FROM STUDYING HOW
BETHOVEN WAS GOING DEAF AND HOW
HE MANAGED TO MAKE HIS WAY
THROUGH THE WORLD.
AND THE FACT THAT BRIDGETOWER BY
ALL ACCOUNTS, THE FEW ACCOUNTS
THAT WE HAVE FROM HIS VIEWS AT
THE TIME, HE'S A VERY
EXTRAVAGANT PLAYER.-HE MOVED A LOT WHEN HE PLAYED.
AND SO WHEN YOU LISTEN AND I
REALLY RECOMMEND TO ALL OF YOU
LISTEN TO IT AGAIN AS YOU
PHRASED IT BEFORE.
BUT THIS IS ONES YOU NEVER HAD.
WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THIS PIECE,
IT IS REALLY REMARKABLE IN THAT
THE VERY BEGINNING IS NOT WHAT
YOU WOULD IMAGINE IT WOULD BE
WHICH IS A PIANO PLAYING
UNDERNEATH THE VIOLIN.
FIRST THE VIOLIN STARTS AND THEN
THE PIANO ANSWERS AND IT'S A
CALL AND RESPONSE SORT OF AN
AFRICAN -- BUT IT DOES REQUIRE A
LOT OF COORDINATION.
YOU SAY HOW CAN A MAN GOING DEAF
DO THIS, ACCOMPANYING HIM ON THE
PIANO.
I FEEL THAT HE WATCHED HIM.
HE MOVED A LOT OF SO HE SAW THE
MUSIC AS WELL AS HEARD WHAT
BETHOVEN DID AND WAS ABLE TO
CREATE THIS PIECE WHICH REQUIRED
AN INCREDIBLE COORDINATION
BETWEEN VIOLIN AND PIANO.
SO IT WAS NOT EVEN FINISHED WHEN
THEY PREMIERED IT.
TYPICAL BETHOVEN.
HE WAS WRITING UP TO THE LAST
MINUTE.-IT WAS 3:00 IN THE MORNING BY
THE TIME HE GAVE A COPY OF THE
FINAL THING.THERE WAS A PART OF IT THAT
WASN'T EVEN FINISHED.
HE TOLD BRIDGETOWER TO AD LIB,
JUST MAKE SOMETHING UP.
BUT HE DID -- IT WAS WONDERFUL
THAT AS HE PLAYED IT AGAIN
EVERYONE APPLAUDED.
I DO WANT TO LEAVE SOME TIME FOR
QUESTIONS SO INSTEAD OF READING
A LONGER POEM -- I'M GOING TO
READ YOU THE FIRST PART OF A
POEM TOLD FROM BRIDGETOWER'S
POINT OF VIEW AS HE'S PLAYING
THAT VERY BEGINNING PIECE, THAT
VERY BEGINNING OF THE SONATA.
WE CALL IT THE PERFORMER.
ADDAGGIO -- PRESTO.
I STEP OUT, I STEP OUT INTO
SILENCE.-I STEP OUT TO TAKE MY PLACE.
MY PLACE IS SILENCE BEFORE I
LIFT THE BOW AND DRAW A FINGER
WITH AN ACHE UPON THE AIR.
THIS IS WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE
EXPLAINED.
FURIOUS BUT WITHOUT WEIGHT.
GREED SHARPENING INTO WIND.
BRIGHT GUST THAT WOULD BLIND,
FLATTEN ALL OF YOU.
YET TENDER, SOMEONE, SOMEWHEREINSIDE TENDE R.
IF YOU COULD SEE ME NOW FATHER,
YOU WOULD CRY.
THOUGH YOU WENT EASILY AS I
REMEMBER, AND EVEN SO IT WAS
MANLY, THE WAY THAT -- DOGS YOUR
CHEEK WITH THOSE EXTRAVAGANT
SLEEVES QUIVERING.
I PREFER TO STAND CHEEK
CUSHIONED AND SOOTHE HER AS A
PULL THE -- OUT GENTLY.
YES, YOU CAN HEAR IT.
YOU WHO MADE ME CAN HEAR IT.
JUST AS HE'S MAKING ME HEAR IT
NOW SO THAT I CAN PULL IT FROM
HER.
IT'S A REAL GIVE AND TAKE.
THIS BOOK DOES GO THROUGH HIS
ENTIRE LIFE AND HE LIVED ABOUT
80 YEARS.
AND HE WENT BACK TO ENGLAND.
HE, THE REST OF THE SLIDE LIKE
MANY THINGS YOU HAVE THAT MOMENT
WITH A, YOU KNOW, A FACE AND
THEN IT WAS A VERY GRADUATE --
HE PLAYED.THERE ARE INSTANCES OF HIS
PLAYING CONCERTS.
IN ENGLAND AND SOMETIMES ON THE
CONTINENT WHO NEVER MET
BETHOVEN.ú
HE WENT ON AND COMPOSED A FEW
MORE SYMPHONIES AFTER THAT.
AND WENT GRADUALLY MORE AND
MORE -- SO I'LL END WITH A TWO
POEMS WHICH I'VE TAKEN A LITTLE
BIT LATER IN THE BOOK.
AND THEN I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR
QUESTIONS.-BUT THIS ONE, ONE'S FROM
BETHOVEN AND ONE'S FROM
BRIDGETOWER.
THIS IS FROM BETHOVEN AFTER HE
JUST FINISHED THE -- THERE WERE
A SERIES OF DISAPPOINTMENTS FOR
HIM AT THAT TIME.
HE FIRST OF ALL FORMER STUDENT
OF HIS HE HAD FALLEN IN LOVE
WITH FOR WHOM HE WROTE MOON
LIGHT SONATA, HAD GOTTEN
MARRIED.
THAT WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT.
AND ALSO NAPOLEON WHO HE HAD
REVERED AND IN FACT HAD REIGN
THE -- FOR HIM, YET ANOTHER
DEDICATION WAS DESTROYED AT THAT
TIME BECAUSE NAPOLEON DECLARED
HIMSELF EMPEROR.AND SO WE HAVE HIM NOW JUS T AT
THAT POINT.
HE FINISHED THE THIRD SYMPHONY
AT A FRIEND'S HOUSE, A FRIEND'S
CASTLE IN BOHEMIA AND THIS IS
BETHOVEN EROICA.
A ROOM IS SAFE HARBOR.
NO TREACHERY -- ANYONE WHO COMES
CALLING CAN CALL THEMSELVES --
THERE WAS A TIME I LET NOTHING
MORE THAN WALKING THE WOODS
ABOVE VIENNA TRAMPING TO FIND A
PATCH OF GREEN THEY SWEAR AND
FLUSH.
I SIT TUCKED IN TAPESTRY OF
BIRD -- AND WAIT FOR MY BREATH
TO SETTLE.
LET THE SUNBURN ISSUE MY SKIN
AND PULL THE WINGS OF THE POST
COACH SUMMONED ME HOME.
AND THEN EVERYTHING BEGAN TO
SOUND LIKE THE DISTANT -- TORN
GLEAMING TRAIL.
I WAS CARELESS THEN.
I SQUANDERED THE WORLD.
AND WHEN MY MONEY CAN SPIRIT ITS
WAY -- LIKE THE TALLEST POPLAR
SO I COULD READ HIS PLAY, SEE MY
SCORE TRANSCRIBED ON THE AIR --
I BREATHE HIS SOUL THROUGH MY
OWN FINGERS AND GAVE UP TRYING
TO LISTEN.
I WATCHED HIM -- IT WAS BETTER
THAN THIS.IT WAS THE LAST PURE SOUND.
MY EMPEROR EMPTIED OF HONOR HAVE
CROWNED HIMSELF WITH GOLD.
WHY DID THAT SAVAGE -- WHY DID I
HEAR WHAT HE SAID AND WHY DID I
MIND WHAT I HEARD.
GOOD DAYS, BAD DAYS PREACH AND
WHISTLE.SOMETIMES I LAY MY HEAD ON THE
PIANO TO SEAL THE WOOD BREATHING
THE IVORY SIGH.
I KNOW -- SOME EVENING.
HE CLIMBS THE FOUR STEPS AND
HUNKERS ON THE STOOP.
ODD.
I CAN HEAR HIS REASON BUT NOT
THE STAGE AS IT RIPS.
SPLITTING SO FAINT OF CRACKEL,
IT COULD BE THE LAST EMBER
SHIFTING IN THE GREAT.
BRIDGETOWER DIED AT THE AGE OF
80 IN SUBSIDIZED HOUSING IN THE
SOUTH OF LONDON.
AND THE WITNESS FOR HIS DEATH
CERTIFICATE WAS A NEIGHBOR WHO
WAS ILLITERATE.
SHE SIGNED IT WITHIN X --
PECKHAM, 1850.
NOT TRUE WHAT THE LIVING -- WE
REGRET IN THE LAST HOUR.
NO MEMORIES WORTH BLUBBERING
THROUGH NOR SCRABBLING -- IN
THIZE -- THE EYES OF OUR
CHILDREN -- FROM COLLAR TO
PILLOW WHILE SUSPENDED BY
BLANKETS -- FLAMELESS AND BEAR.
SHAME HAS LOST ITS -- NEXT TO
THE LAST DAYS WHEN WE'RE STILL
OURSELVES.
I DON'T NEED WINE OR -- OR
WEATHER.-I DON'T GIVE A -- FOR WARM SOCKS
OR DON'T LAUGH THE SUMMER'S
FIRST PAYER OF FRUIT I HAVEN'T
BEEN ABLE TO DIGEST FOR 20 YEARS
AND HAVE MOURNED FOR JUST ASLONG.
WHAT'S ANY OF IT COMPARED TO THE
DRAINING OF HUMOR, THIS WONDROUS
UNCARING.
PAIN IS AN INTERFERENCE, LOVE IS
CUMBERSOME.
FOR OUR LOVE ONLY WHAT MY
FINGERS COULD DO.
AND EVEN THEY HAVE NOT SERVED ME
FOREVER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU
HAVE.ú
[APPLAUSE]
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THIS MARVELOUS
TRAVEL THROUGH THIS BOOK AND WE
WILL HAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS.
THERE ARE MICROPHONES IN THE
AISLES.%>> THANK YOU FOR THAT VERY MUCH.
COULD YOU TALK ABOUT THE TITLE A
LITTLE BIT.
IT'S SO INTERESTING THE WHOLE
PROJECT.-AND FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU
FOR COMING TO MY GRAD SCHOOL IN
VERMONT.
AND I REMEMBER WHEN YOU SAID
AKRON SMELLS LIKE BURNING RUBBER
AND QUAKER OATS.
I STILL REMEMBER THAT.-I'M CURIOUS ABOUT T HE TITLE AND
IF YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
IT BECAUSE IN ITALIAN IT'S
DIFFERENT, THE ROMANCE LANGUAGE-IS DIFFERE NT AND OF COURSE WE
KNOW IN ENGLISH LONG CUSTOM IT'S
AN HISTORICAL TERM AND WE USE IT
NOW A QUOTE -- COULD YOU TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW
YOU CHOSE IT, RESPONSES TO THE
TITLE AND SO ON.
>> OKAY.
YES.
THE TITLE FOR SONATA MULATTICA
WAS QUITE A CONTROVERSY.
I TALKED IT OVER A LONG TIME
WITH MY FRIENDS AND ALSO WITH MY
EDITOR.
BUT I WANTED TO RECLAIM THE WORD
MULATTO.
IT IS NOT BURDENED BY -- I
REMEMBER WHEN I WAS GOING TO THE
ARCHIVES AND READING ALL OF
THESE THINGS, THESE TRANSCRIPTS
THAT THE WORD MULATTO WAS USED
TO SIGNIFY SOMEONE WHO WAS OF A
MIXED RACE WITHOUT ANY CENTER
AND I READ IT VERY CAREFULLY.
IN FACT BETHOVEN IN HIS ORIGINAL
DEDICATION TO BRIDGETOWER THE
SONATA HE CALLED HIM MY PAL AND
CRAZY MULATTO FRIEND.
SO THE IDEA WAS TO, YES, TO
RECLAIM THAT.
BUT ALSO I REALIZED PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO GO MULATTO, I DON'T
KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.
ALSO -- AND ITALIAN AT THAT
POINT.YES.>> LET ME ASK IN A BROADER SORT
OF PICTURE.
YOU'RE HEAR AT THE INSTITUTION
THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON LEADING
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IN THIS
COUNTRY AND ACROSS THE WORLD.
SCIENTISTS ARE AT THE CUTTING
EDGE OF A WHOLE VARIETY OF
EXCITING ENDEAVORS.AND YET OUR SOCIETY IS BOTH IN
LOVE WITH SCIENCE AND A LITTLE
AFRAID OF SCIENCE, A
TECHNOLOGICAL EDGE OF THE
PERSONALITY.
DIMINISHING RATHER THANENHANCING -- THIS ONE, HAVING
COME TO HEAR YOU GREATLY VALUES
THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY NATUREú
THROUGH THE TOOL OF SCIENCE BUT
ALSO TO ENHANCE OUR OWN
EXPERIENCE THROUGH MUSIC.
YET THERE'S CERTAINLY AN OPINIONOUT THERE THAT WE'RE NOT AS GOOD
BRINGING THOSE TOGETHER AS WE
ONCE WERE -- I THINK I MENTIONED
HOW I WAS INFLUENCED, WE WERE
TALKING LAST EVENING ABOUT THE
WRITINGS OF -- AND SOMETHING
THAT WAS TROUBLING INDEED, THE
VERY DISTINGUISHED AND
ARTICULATE WRITER.-ARE WE STILL AS AFFLICT ED BY THE
TWO CULTURES THAT -- OR HAS IT
GOTTEN BETTER, HAS IT GOTTEN
WORSE.
YOU'RE IN A VERY GOOD POSITION
AS AN OBSERVER OF CULTURE TO BE
ABLE TO REFLECT ON THAT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE GETTING
BETTER.AND I THINK THAT THE AID IS
COMING FROM A VERY UNLIKELY
SOURCE.TRICKY SOURCE.AND I THINK THAT THE INTERNET
AND THE SOCIAL MEDIA IS ACTUALLY
HELPING TO JUST BRING A BIT OF
SCIENCES TO EVERYONE'S LIFE.
YOU CAN BROWSE AND READ
SOMETHING AND NOT UNDERSTAND.
THE SAME THING HAPPENS WITH
POETRY.-BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF
POETRY IN THE SAME WAY AS WE ARE
AFRAID OF SCIENCES.
AND THEN IN FACT I HAVE AN
INCREDIBLE ANECDOTE WHICH HELPED
ME REALIZE THAT I HAD TO GO
PLACES WHERE I THOUGHT I WAS THE
WELCOME OR PEOPLE WOULD BE
AFRAID OF ME.
WHEN OUR DAUGHTER WAS STILL, YOU
KNOW, IN ARMS, WE WERE
TRAVELING.
WE WERE ON A BOOK TOUR AND WE
WERE TRAVELING TO NEW ENGLAND
AND THERE WAS A SNOWSTORM AND
ALL THE PLANES WERE CAN EXPULD
WE WERE IN A TRAIN AND THE TRAIN
WAS COMPLETELY CROWDED.WE WERE TRYING TO G ET FROM
PROVIDENCE RHODE ISLAND TO
BOSTON.-SOMEONE GAVE ME A SEAT BECAUSE I
HAD A BABY.I WAS SITTING IN THE MIDDLE
BETWEEN TWO GENTLEMEN AND WE
STARTED TALKING BECAUSE EVERYONE
WAS WET.
WE STARTED SHARING BODILY FLUIDS
LIKE YOU KIND OF -- AND SO I
ASKED HIM, HE ASKED ME WHAT I
DID.
AND I TOOK A DEEP BRELT BECAUSE
WHEN I SAY I'M A POET PEOPLE,
THEY KIND OF MOVE AWAY OR THEY
SAY I BETTER WATCH MY WORDS WORDS AND
STUFF LIKE THAT.
I SAID I'M A POET.
I SAID WHAT DO YOU DO.
HE TOOK THE SAME DEEP BREATH AND
SAID I'M A MOLECULAR BIOLOGIST.
AND HE SAID I'M AFRAID TO TELL
PEOPLE THAT AND I SAID I AM TOO.
THEN WE DECIDED TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO TALK TO EACH OTHER.
HE ASKED ME TO DESCRIBE WHAT I
DO.
I ASKED HIM TO DESCRIBE WHAT HE
DID AND HE WAS IN FACT WORKING
ON DNA AND I SAID I TAKE THESE
WALKS ALONG DNA.
I SAID IT'S A METAPHOR IT'S A
METAPHOR.
IT WAS UPSETTING.
WE TALKED FOR TWO HOURS.
I THOUGHT HERE WE ARE HIDE
INSIDE OUR OWN LITTLE CAGES OF
FEAR.-THE ONLY WAY, I MEAN I GREW UP
LOVING POETRY AND I'M ALWAYS
SADDENED WHEN PEOPLE ARE AFRAIDOF IT AND I THINK THAT COMES
FROM BEING TOLD SOMETIME IN YOUR
LIFE THAT YOU GOT IT WRONG.
AND SO ACTUALLY -- MORE OF THE
WORLD IS OPEN TO YOU AT ANY TIMEOF THE DAY OR NIGHT.
THAT'S SUPERFICIAL KNOWLEDGE BUTI'LL TAKE THAT AT FIRST AND THEN
WE'LL WORK ON THAT.
YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?->> CAN YOU COME TO TH E
MICROPHONE PLEASE SO PEOPLE CAN
HEAR WHO ARE LISTENING ON THE
WEB.
THERE'S A LOT MORE PEOPLE TAKING
THIS IN THAN WE CAN SEE.
>> HI.
I HAD A PROCESS QUESTION.
I WAS WONDERING HOW YOU BALANCE
LIKE WHERE THE RESEARCH STOPS
AND YOU STARTED AND HOW YOU
BALANCE THOSE TWO THINGS SO THAT
IT COULD STILL BE A WISE --
>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
HOW TO BALANCE THE TOO BECAUSE
IT IS TRUE THAT YOU GET SO
WRAPPED UP IN THE RESEARCH THAT
YOU WANT TO INCLUDE EVERYTHING
AND THAT DOESN'T WORK.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD DO USUALLY
WOULD BE TO, I WOULD DO RESEARCH
RESEARCH RESEARCH AND THE
RESEARCH, IT WAS NOT AS
DISCIPLINED AS AN HISTORIAN
WOULD DO IT BUT IT WAS AS
ARDENT, I GUESS.-SO THAT IF THERE WAS A TA NGENT,
IF I WAS RESEARCHING THE YEAR
THAT THE RIVER THAMES FROZE
OVER.I WOULD GO OFF AND LEARN HOW TO
PLAY SKITTLES.
SO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AT SOME POINT A LINE OR A WORD
OR A CERTAIN VIEWPOINT FROM ONE
OF THE CHARACTERS WOULD COME
INTO MY HEAD.-AT THAT POINT I PUT ALL THE
RESEARCH AWAY.
WOULD NOT LOOK AT IT UNTIL I HAD
FINISHED THE POEM.
SO THAT I IGNORED THE FACT.
AND THEN I ACTUALLY DID NOT WHEN
I STARTED KEEPING A TIME LINE, I
DIDN'T DO THAT UNTIL HALFWAY
THROUGH WHICH WAS, THERE WAS
SOME PROBLEMS.
BUT THE IDEA WAS TO SEAL MYSELF
INTO THE YEARS INSTEAD OF
SITTING ON TOP OF ALL OF THOSE
FACTS.
SO I DID IT BACK AND FORTH LIKE
THAT MOST OF THE TIME.
I HAD A MAP TOO.
FELT LIKE DR. STRANGELOVE.
BECAUSE WHAT WAS INCREDIBLE,
THESE PEOPLE TRAVELED ALL OVER
THE PLACE.
THEY WERE ALWAYS GOING BACK AND
FORTH.
IN THE MEANTIME NAPOLEON WAS
PUSHING.-TO GET A SENSE OF THAT
EXCITEMENT BOTH TIMES.
NINE TENTHS OF THAT MATERIAL
NEVER MADE IT INTO THE BOOK.
BUT THE TENSIONS AND EXCITEMENT
AND THE CROSS CURRENT.
I NEED TO KNOW ALL THAT.
>> CAN YOU GO TO THE MICROPHONE
PLEASE.-WE'LL TAKE ONE MORE QUESTION.
>> I HAVE AN HISTORICAL
QUESTION.-BRIDGETOWER LEFT VIENNA AND
CONTINUED CONCERTIZING FOR MANY
YEARS.
DID HE EVER, IS THERE ANY
EVIDENCE HE PLAYED THE SONATA
AGAIN AT ANY OF HIS CONCERTS.
>> THAT'S AN EXCELLENT AND THERE-IS NO EVI DENCE THAT I KNOW OF
THAT HE EVER PLAYED IT AGAIN.
THOUGH I'M HOPING THAT
HISTORIANS NOW WILL FIND THAT
OUT.
BECAUSE WHEN I BEGAN THIS
PROJECT, IT WAS RETCHED LITTLE
INFORMATION OUT THERE BECAUSE
NOBODY REALLY DEDICATED-THEMSELVES TO TRY TO FIND IT
OUT.-I'LL CONFESS I WAS NOT GOING TO
BE GOING TO OLD CHURCHES, YOU
KNOW, TO LOOK FOR THINGS BECAUSE
I DIDN'T NEED THOSE KIND OF
FACTS.-BUT NOW IF YOU GOOGLED
BRIDGETOWER -- I'M WAITING TO
SEE.
IT'S INTERESTING THE KIND OF
FACTS THAT DID COME IN.
LIKE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
HAPPENED TO HIS MOTHER.-YOU COULD SAY WHAT HAPPENED TO
THIS WOMAN.
THE ONLY EVIDENCE WE HAVE IS
THAT IN THE PRINCE OF WALES
ACCOUNT BOOKS THERE WAS A SOME
OF MONEY THAT GOES TO -- EVERY
YEAR.
THERE'S AN INDICATION THAT
BRIDGETOWER HAD A BROTHER.
WE DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT HIM.
HE PLAYS THE CELLO.
AND HE LIVED IN -- OKAY.
AND THEN AT ONE POINT IT STOPS
IN 1817 TWO -- HAVE DIED THAT
YEAR.THESE ARE THE THINGS I'M HOPING
HISTORIANS WILL BE ABLE TO PEACE
TOGETHER.-BUT I DON'T KNOW IF HE EVER
PLAYED IT AGAIN.
ALL WE KNOW IS [INDISCERNIBLE]>> I HOPE YO U WILL ALL GO HOME
THIS EVENING AND LISTEN TO
THE -- SONATA.
IT WILL HARDLY BE A BETTER TIME
THAN NOW SO I APPRECIATE THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT PIECE OF
MUSIC AND THE HISTORY THAT RITA
HAS SHARED WITH US.
I WANT TO THANK THE RALL FAMILY
FOR BEING HERE AND FOR THIS
SPECIAL PRESENTATION OF THE
EDWARD RALL'S LECTURE.
WE CAN NOW ADJOURN TO THE
LIBRARY FOR A RECEPTION AND MORE
OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO RITA