A Good Night

An unusual night last night. I sat or lied on the couch for almost three hours, reading a book while listening to music. Usually I can do one or the other, but not both at the same time. 

The book: The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro. 

I'm reading it on Scribd.com. It's about a woman that is hired to copy a Degas painting that was stolen many years before. So far it's a good read.

The music: First I finished listening to Bach Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1 performed by Christine Schornsheim. I heard Preludes and Fugues numbers 15 through 24. I wanted to keep going and play Book 2, but decided to change performers. I wanted to stay with the harpsichord, was having such a good time listening to the plucking and ear-tickling sound of the instrument, so I chose Peter Watchorn on the Music Omnia label, a different sounding instrument, still thrilling, perhaps deeper.

Book 2 kept playing for about an hour, I kept reading. When I'm on the green couch I'm only a few feet from the speakers, but it was fine. Quality music being reproduced magnificently.

I stopped the Bach, wanted something different. So I put on a recent release, Through Time with bassoonist Rui Lopez. The overtones of the bassoon are so much fun to hear. Lopez plays Villa-Lobos, Jean Francaix, Mozart, Vivaldi and Elgar. Heard the complete album.

I wanted to keep reading so I chose another new release, Gabriel Faure's Nocturnes performed by Sally Pinkas. I heard the first nine before finally turning off the music and closing the book (turning off the iPad).