All sudden deaths in music,
such as Lully, blood poisoned
by stamping on his foot while beating
time with his enormous baton; or Alkan,
crushed to death by his bookcase while reaching
for the Talmud; or Fritz Wunderlich, who fell down the stairs—
all such deaths may possibly have taken place slightly before the
presumptive late musician was
about to reveal issues similar to those you are about
to encounter. I am of course foolishly allowing
myself the luxury of anecdotal liberty.
Absolutely no tricks
or sleight of hand play any part
in the partially verifiable panorama
you will experience tonight, but,
as with any rear view mirror,
events in the periphery may
prove unreliable.