Joep Beving - Torres Novas
This is Joep Beving, in a photo taken last night at my hometown's 1920s renovated theatre venue -- Cine-Teatro Virgínia -- in Torres Novas. A small city, a place I hadn't had the courage to revisit since my Father's death about three months ago.
The concert was a balm for a series of ailments, some of which I didn't even know I had. A bigger (quite literally) than life character, a being from another dimension who graced us with his presence and touched everyone that listened to his music. And how he played. He sat, by our side, down here, back in Earth, particularly when he chose to play for his Sleeping Lotus (the name of his very daughter, as he confided in us).
(20221012 - Joep Beving, Cine-Teatro Virgínia, Torres Novas)
This gentle giant taught everyone a lesson on how to listen to music in concert, properly, without pretension, without condescension... just softness: on how to keep silent while he was playing, to let his music flow, so he could eventually pause, look at the audience and talk about what he'd played, and what he was going to play next; to properly embrace and acknowledge the applause.
A lesson in grace, in softly-spoken words and gently played piano musings. One hour and a half that'll stay with me, for a long time.
Thank you, Joep.