1985-02 (February)

City Council Chambers- 4:30 p.m.

February 26th, 1985

Woke at 6; cereal; read Gwyn’s Vogue till Mary arrived with Commercial. Terrible Luck. Bill Thomas called; wants to do an interview that will introduce a new literary department in Commercial. I agreed- sometime later this week perhaps. Sent Hugs his $900. Excellent rate: 10.25 E to $1.00. Also wrote to him in answer to a postcard asking that I send him cassettes of Vinteuil’s music, explaining that Bergotte, Elstir, and Vinteuil are all “invested” artists and giving the various “models” for each of them. Decided, too, to send him the cassette I made two years ago of 26 poems by John Crowe Ransom.

Mailed them on my way downtown to testify in opposition to the proposed condominiums across the street; appeared as lead off witness before the city council at 5 o’clock. We won ten to zero. Home by 6. Watched 1940 Gary Cooper movie, “The Westerner.” Began Debussy- l’Apres Mids, Dauses Sacre et Profane, La Meoz.

Heart Program (Lehrer) WKNO, 9 p.m.

February 27th, 1985

Woke at 5:15- third morning in a row. Took a valium and went back to bed; slept till 7:30. Continued Debussy: Nocturnes, Suite Rergamassue, string quartet, piano music, and the three sonatas. Now onto Roussel and Ravel. Outlined a new 120-min cassette for Mozart’s chamber music for piano and winds with strings; makes a worthy addition to travel tapes. Then went ahead and recorded s-1: horn quintet, piano-winds quintet, and the clarinet trio.

Called Rossel about Bob Loomis’s statement that Random and I must renegotiate the contract for Two Gates.” He’ll check the contract and then get back to me ; at which time I’ll know where I stand legally. Also called Mid-South travel; made reservation for New York on Delta, leaving 17 March, returning 21 March; non-stop both ways $608.

Played Roussel’s sympthony 3 and sinfoneitta on two-mile walk; symphony 4 while bathing, after I got back. Still don’t much care for them as much as the quartet. Now FOR Ravel. Good TV program (Lehner for heart Medicine.

February 28th, 1985

Up at 4, which is becoming a habit. Completed Mozart tape with quartet in E flat and Trios, 502, 542. Gwyn may be coming down with a cold or, god forbid, the flu, and I’m doing a lot of suspicious sneezing. We must take decent care of ourselves through this end of winter period. I’m glad I got that flu shot in January. Bob Roseu called; says Random has every right, not only to re-negotiate the Two Gates contract, but also to demand refund of the advance.

Read Henry James’s full-blown highly discursive “Introduction” to Shakespeare’s Tempest. Began Ravel with orchestral cassette- mainly transcriptions of piano works; all brilliant. Continued with Ma Mere? (orchestrated) and Daphnis and Chloe. Note from Mary King (Nouvelle and Agsuez, Paris) says paperback copies of LDS (Love in a Dry Season) and Sep.Sep (September September) are in the way by air; test by surfaces mail to Rossen.

Note from Soe. Sec. says worthy payments, due to previous underpayment, will rise to $556, after I’m recompensed $850 for previous shortages.