The Straggler: A Winter Idyl

At the recital in Carnegie Hall, on Halloween night, Fleisher began with some Bach: Egon Petri’s arrangement of Sheep May Safely Graze. He devoted the second half of the program to Schubert’s Sonata in B flat, D. 960, one of the most profound works in the piano literature. Fleisher does not believe that one should play an encore after this sonata, but he had one planned: He was going to repeat Sheep May Safely Graze, but this time he would have the aid of some of his students, placed throughout the hall. With tape recorders in their laps, they were going to play gentle sheep bleatings—just for some levity. But Fleisher was “thwarted,” as he says, because vigilant Carnegie ushers would not allow the tape recorders into the hall!

So instead, he brought out a Halloween basket—one that looked like a jack-o’-lantern—and offered candy to patrons in the first row. A light, lovely touch from a man who has been through hell, and whose greatness is far more than musical. NR

About the Author

John Derbyshire

Mr. Derbyshire is a former contributing editor of National Review.

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At the recital in Carnegie Hall, on Halloween night, Fleisher began with some Bach: Egon Petri’s arrangement of Sheep May Safely Graze. He devoted the second half of the program to Schubert’s Sonata in B flat, D. 960, one of the most profound works in the piano literature. Fleisher does not believe that one should play an encore after this sonata, but he had one planned: He was going to repeat Sheep May Safely Graze, but this time he would have the aid of some of his students, placed throughout the hall. With tape recorders in their laps, they were going to play gentle sheep bleatings—just for some levity. But Fleisher was “thwarted,” as he says, because vigilant Carnegie ushers would not allow the tape recorders into the hall!

So instead, he brought out a Halloween basket—one that looked like a jack-o’-lantern—and offered candy to patrons in the first row. A light, lovely touch from a man who has been through hell, and whose greatness is far more than musical. NR