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CLICKSTART 952-902-2014 |
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by Sue Orsen "Claire de lune" is the third movement of a suite by Claude Debussy. In other words, it is part of something else, a favorite part. Many people can identify the haunting melody of "Claire de lune" -- which is French for moonlight -- but few can name the suite from which it originates. John Scott of Victoria plays the classical piano piece from memory, having learned it long ago, one measure at a time until it became second nature to him. With only two or three piano lessons when he was five years old, John is self-taught. He plays "Claire de lune" with eyes closed and face uplfited. Classical piano is one of John Scott's favorite pastimes -- playing it, not listening to it. As a matter of fact, he doesn't have a CD player or a computer. "I still live in the 20th century," he says. John's other favorites include "Für Elise" and "Moonlight Sonata" by Beethoven, Bach's "Prelude #1," and "Malaguena" by Leuconia. "That's the piece where Leuconia was showing that you could translate flamingo guitar to piano, and it doesn't work so well," said the knowledgable pianist. John adds other comments about his repertoire, all of which he plays without sheet music: "'Liebestraume' by Franz Liszt is translated 'Song of Love.' The chord structures in 'Deep Purple' by Peter DeRose are just gorgeous. 'Misty' is Erroll Gainer's most famous piece. The first classical piece I learned was 'Prelude #7' by Chopin." Other favorites include Mozart's "Sonata in C" and Jerome Kern's "All the Things You Are." Tucked into other parts of his now 80-year old history is the artistic ability to sketch and paint. Two walls in his living room testify to this talent as they are adorned with many pieces of his work -- all 5 x 7 inches in size, all floral in subject matter, well spaced and balanced within the frames and upon the walls. John Scott is an uncluttered man with an eye for order. He is also man who minds his health, which means exercise every morning at the Victoria Recreation Center. "Nine times around the ice arena equals one mile," said John. "I walk a little more than that, seven days a week." The exercise continues at his apartment home, which is located across the street from Lions Park in Victoria. Right there in his living room, John demonstrated his daily stretch exercises. "I've weighed 180 pounds forever," he stated. "My dad lived to be 88. When I go grocery shopping with Flori, he drives and I carry the groceries, two bags in each hand. I'm very strong. Flori and I have a good time together. He's a lot of fun." Flori Diethelm lives in the apartment below John. "I sold my home on Hyacinth and moved to the apartment shortly after my wife died," said John. "Gloria died in 1996. She had a stroke. I was kind of struck, too. We have three boys. I sold the home to our oldest son about a year later and I've lived in this apartment ever since." As John played "Claire de lune," he turned the volume on his electronic piano a notch higher. He keeps it set rather low in consideration for his neighbors in the four-plex building. He goes to bed at 9 o'clock every night because that's when Flori shuts his lights off and John doesn't want to be a bother to anyone, night or day.
The rest of the story and photos of Claire de Lune can be found in the paper issue of the Victoria Gazette. |
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June 2013 |
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