[Dixielandjazz] Viva Bartok

[Steve Barbone]

>From a New York Times article about Maestro Claudio Abbado. His comments on
thinking outside the box instead of being enclosed. "Viva Bartok"

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

When he speaks of avoiding limits, Mr. Abbado also means breaking out of
narrow thinking, offering several anecdotes to explain. As a child in Milan
during World War II, he prompted a visit from Gestapo officers by writing
the graffito ³Viva Bartok² on a wall. They thought it might be a reference
to a partisan, he said. He proved otherwise by showing them a score by the
composer. 

But why, he was asked in the interview, did he write it? ³Because I love
Bartok!² he answered.

Years later the Italian tax police searched his home, convinced he had
foreign bank accounts, Mr. Abbado recounted. An official triumphantly
produced an incriminating letter, listing a series of mysterious numbers
beginning with the letter K. Mr. Abbado spoiled his victory by producing a
recording of Mozart¹s pieces, with the titles followed by Köchel catalog
numbers.

³I gave him the disc,² Mr. Abbado said. ³The mentality is always this:
closed.