I've recently re-read a biography of Tchaikovsky I first read when it came out, in 1995, by Anthony Holden. I'm now re-opening others by Michael Hoffmann and John Warrack. In the process, I've become acquainted for the first time with a work that is now my favourite ever by anyone: the Piano Trio in A minor. The version here is not the best: the best is by Kissin, Maisky and Bell, which I view every day—but to post it would be a breach of copyright. This will have to do. As I've just been trying to explain to a young part-Objectivist, the reason Oism is failing is that Oists, The Romantic Manifesto notwithstanding, don't grasp or begin to appreciate—as a rule they're belligerent philistines—the import of cosmic beauty such as this. Oh, and it's my birthday—92nd—so I'm allowing myself the indulgence of saying so:
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