The Terrorists Have Won

This is a serious downer of a day. Due to my ridiculous work schedule and other evilnesses (which I won't go into right now) over the past several weeks, I neglected to respond in time to my final opportunity to challenge one of my unfair parking tickets, so now I owe $60 on a $35 ticket that should never have been issued in the first place. (I'll spare you all the details, but essentially "Parking Control Officer" J.T.—may he rot in hell—lied about the time he checked my car just so he could issue the ticket. This was the third citation using falsified information I received from J.T.) Tonight I must suck it up and write the check. I've lost the battle, been checkmated. I am deflated and disillusioned. Injustice has conquered righteousness, and I'm out 60 bucks. Fuck.

For some extra salt on the wound, I'm also out of Boodles. Double fuck. I ended up making a pleasant-enough tequini when I got home with some añejo tequila OMC picked up recently, but it really ain't the same.

And of course, more missed concerts. Del Sol doing Antheil (as sfmike pointed out; btw, tx for the email, M. L-). The Bolcom & Morris lecture/performance that Heather mentioned, which a bunch of friends went to but I missed out because of work. Dawn Upshaw and Richard Goode's joint recital. All on the calendar; all out the window. I did go with Mme D- to hear Chanticleer and Philharmonia Baroque doing 18th-century Spanish cathedral music, but I'm too tired to delve too deeply into it right now. I'll just say that I love the Chanticleer guys specifically for their extremely skilled unaccompanied ensemble singing, so a program that is built primarily around solo work with orchestra perhaps does not show them in the best light. (Baritone Mark Sullivan and soprano Dylan Hostetter deserve serious kudos though; beautiful singing, gents.) My apologies to Patty for not writing about the instrumentalists this time.

There's one bright spot in recent days, however: the Schubert String Quintet in C. I've listened to this Alban Berg Quartet recording with Heinrich Schiff a couple times a day for the better part of a week now. What an intense piece, and the ABQ give a dramatic, impassioned performance of it. I'm embarrassed to say I've never paid this quintet much mind before. But now that I have, I keep getting drawn back to it, each time discovering a new facet. It's like I've made a new friend.

OK, off to meet real-life friend Mme H- for some comfort food in the form of pupusas at Panchita's. I'm also embarrassed to say that I've walked past Panchita's probably thousands of times over the years, and have never paid it much mind before either. But now that I have, I've gone back a half-dozen times in just a couple of weeks! Mmmm.... pupusas.

Comments

[Joshua Kosman]

Congratulations on joining the church of the Schubert C-Major Quintet. It is my belief -- a belief undimmed by its obvious foolishness -- that this is the single greatest piece of music ever written, by anyone, ever. Weirdly, I'm not alone in this. Many years ago I was in the Chronicle office putting off writing a review of a contemporary program, and propounded my theory to a co-worker. She was amused but skeptical. Then came the early edition of the Examiner, with a review of the same program, and my opposite number (Tim Pfaff) demonstrated the point by saying of some new piece that although it was good, it was, you know, no Schubert C-Major Quintet. Ta-da! A moment of vindication like the Marshall McLuhan/Woody Allen bit.

[M. C-]

Who knew I had stumbled upon a religion? I'm mighty anxious to hear more recordings; recommendations from parishioners are welcomed!

[Lisa Hirsch]

Woo! I'll have to get a copy. Alban Berg, you say? And what M. C- said about recommendations. (I have a couple of CDs of the ABQ doing the Schubert quartets.)

[sfmike]

Really, dude, you should stop driving and polluting the planet and above all parking in MY neighborhood (I'm at the corner of Franklin & McAllister). Either that, or figure out how to give a bribe to corrupt cops like J.T. so you don't get a ticket.

As for missing concerts, there's another chance to catch Bolcom/Morris this Sunday evening FOR FREE at the Piedmont Piano Company. I can't make it because, well, I can't, but they sent me an email that I don't think they would mind my sharing.

Dear Friends,

Please Join us on Sunday, April 24 at our beautiful new San Francisco store for a very special FREE performance by William Bolcom and Joan Morris, presenting "From Ragtime to Cabaret, American piano music and popular songs from the 19th and 20th centuries." Pulitzer prize winning composer William Bolcom and his wife soprano Joan Morris are the leading interpreters of American popular song, and make a rare local appearance:

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 7PM
PIEDMONT PIANO CO.
660 3RD ST. SAN FRANCISCO

Admission is free, but please RSVP by e-mail to music@piedmontpiano.com
or by phone 415-543-9988. Please stay after the show for a reception with the artists.

For more information please go to:

http://www.piedmontpiano.com/Webpages/Bolcom%20&%20Morris.html

[M. C-]

I'm telling you, I've tried the no-car route, and it is no-fun. Given my weird and irregular daily itineraries, TSR would just be filled with horrific MUNI stories in lieu of the parking disasters.

Tx for the Bolcom notice -- I might indeed try to make it!