A Song For Lisa

by Clifton La Bree

  Tokyo, Japan

  December 20, 1950

  Dear Colonel Wright,

  I’m sending this letter to your old address in Tokyo. I know that you are no longer there but am hoping that it will eventually find its way to you. My purpose in writing is to inform you that I’ve been approached by a booking agency to do up to nine concerts in the United States. My itinerary is enclosed.

  It has been my fond hope that you may be able to meet me somewhere at one of my concert performances. I’m starting in Boston and New York. What I am really hoping, Colonel, is that you will be able to supply me with the name and address of the lady who answered my previous letter. When I read her reply I had a warm feeling inside and it has been years since this old man has been so profoundly touched.

  I pray that this finds you in good health and empowered to grant my request. Thank you for your concern.

  Respectfully yours,

  Horio Taniguchi

  All that night Jonathon tossed and turned, wondering what he should do. He felt in his heart that Mister Taniguchi’s request was honorable and that it might ease some of the pain that he had carried for years. Just how it would affect Lisa was unpredictable. He could imagine an introduction going either badly or extremely well, granting some element of closure for her. By the time the sun spilled into his bedroom, he had made up his mind. If he was going to be the instrument of their discovery of each other, it would have to take place after the concert. He would have to time the meeting when it would be “right.” Beyond that, he had no way of protecting Lisa from being hurt, and that very real possibility bothered him.

  Jonathon was relieved when the day of the concert arrived. It was a warm sunny day for March. Some of the winter’s supply of snow had already melted. He had volunteered to take Faith and Terry with him to his house for the day while Lisa prepared for the concert and met with the musicians for last minute changes and adjustments. Terry enjoyed being with Jonathon. He was especially attracted to Faith who was patient and paid a lot of attention to him.

  Lisa had a long discussion with the conductor of the orchestra, who told her that Mr. Taniguchi had requested a meeting with her, at least for an hour, in the auditorium and with the same piano that she would play at the concert. Lisa thought that sounded like a good idea and promised to be there early for the meeting. Then, she went home to bathe and dress for the occasion. She was a bundle of nerves and took a long relaxing bath before getting dressed.

  Lisa had played as an accompanist with several singers and cello players, but very few violinists. She knew from experience that some musicians could be very difficult to work with because they had inflated egos. She was always aware that they were the main attraction, not her, and her job was to help them make their performance better. It could be a difficult juggling act, but over the years Lisa had handled the job with grace and professionalism. If the two did not get along, there were numerous opportunities to make either player look bad.

  Lisa worried if she was good enough for the internationally acclaimed Taniguchi, and she was nervous about their meeting. Lisa’s signature dress was her teal gown with white lace circling her neck and throat. For this particular concert, she had let her hair grow long so that it fell loose about her shoulders. She pinned the fresh orchid from Jonathon on her gown and checked her watch. The concert began at 7:00 PM with the doors opening at 6:00. She wanted to be at the auditorium at least by 4:30, so she gathered her purse and cape and left the house.

  Theaters and auditoriums were lonely places when the lights were dimmed and the seats were empty. Lisa entered through the stage entrance, flipped on the main stage lights, and made her way to the piano. The overhead lights made her auburn hair sparkle. The pearl necklace and diamond earrings she wore were a parting gift from the director of the Boston Pops Orchestra. They too glittered as she moved across the stage, sat at the piano, and ran through some of the evening’s selections.

  Unbeknownst to Lisa, a small figure of a man was sitting in the front seat of the auditorium. He had been sitting in the dark trying to get a feel for the people who would be in the audience. He watched Lisa come onto the stage and sit at the piano. She was younger than he expected. He quickly approached her.

  Lisa saw him climbing the side steps to the stage. She rose and turned to him. “I’m Lisa Carter. You must be Mister Taniguchi.”

  “Yes, I’m Horio Taniguchi,” he proclaimed in English, bowing to her. “It’s gracious of you to meet me.”

  “I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to accompany you, sir. I hope that you are satisfied with my playing. I’ll do everything in my power to assist you in the performance. We’re honored to have you come so far so that we can enjoy your music.”

  “I’m pleased to hear that, Miss Carter. I agreed to do this tour because I believe it is time to heal old wounds of war. The battered world needs the soothing benefits of music, for it has a universal message all peoples understand. I'd like to think that my tour will help to build bridges that the terrible war has torn apart.”

  “That’s a noble undertaking, Mr. Taniguchi. I support your efforts,” Lisa said, surprised at how comfortable and at ease she felt in his presence. “Our symphony orchestra is composed of a wide range of musicians. Many are still students at the university. What they lack in experience or professional skills, they make up with their passion and love of music.”

  “Ah, who could ask for more!” he exclaimed with a smile.

  “Our program tonight is heavy to Beethoven,” Lisa told him. “The orchestra is doing portions of his sixth and ninth symphonies. I love Beethoven. His compositions that describe a pastoral country life are wonderful. He had the genius of filling his music with human emotions. They’re my favorites.”

  “I see that we have that in common, Lisa. May I call you that? You may call me Mister T if you like. I understand that New Englanders have lazy tongues.” Mister T smiled with her and began taking his violin out of its case.

  “Please, call me Lisa, Mister T,” she said happily. She had a premonition that this was going to be a very special night!

  He removed his violin from the case and gently plucked the strings. He adjusted two of them and ran his nimble fingers up and down the scale drawing the bow once across the strings in a slow steady movement. “Do you mind if we try portions of Beethoven’s Sixth?”

  “Whatever you request, Mister T. What a beautiful instrument,” Lisa acknowledged. “Is it a Stradivarius?”

  “You have keen eyes, Lisa. Yes, it’s an original Stradivarius. The tone is superb. It was a gift from a beautiful Italian violinist who had to stop playing because of rheumatism in his hands. Every time I play I do so in his memory.”

  “I think you are a very kind man, Mister T. I’m ready when you are,” she announced. Lisa was never a nervous player. She had that rare quality of being able to relax and focus on the music the minute she started to play.

  She normally had a soft touch on the keys, but when she accompanied a soloist, her touch became even softer so as to not compete with the soloist. For ten to fifteen minutes, Lisa and Mr. T went through several pages of music. She had the gift of being able to fill in the breaks between notes so that the soloist’s style sounded richer and more vibrant. Several times Mister T intentionally deviated from the tempo and beat of the score just to check on Lisa’s response. He nodded his head in approval when she followed him instantly as if she were reading his mind. It was almost as if they were playing as one!

  When they finished the passage, Mister T laid his instrument on the piano and applauded her. “Bravo Lisa bravo. You play with your heart. I’m going to enjoy this performance tonight,” he exclaimed enthusiastically.

  “Thank you,” she replied modestly.

  “I have a suggestion, Lisa,” said Mister T. “I’ll depend on your opinion, so be honest with me.”

  “I promise to be honest with you.”

  “Would it be appropriate, since we have a relatively youthful audien
ce, to do an encore on a lighter note, with some of the more enduring popular songs?”

  “I think the audience will love it. The orchestra is capable of handling a wide variety of songs, even country music.”

  “Some of your American country music is poignant and beautiful in its simplicity,” noted Mister T. “I might even do an old fashioned hoe-down for a grand finale.”

  Lisa was drawn to his sincerity and humanity. In the few minutes they had been together she had the privilege of seeing the human side of the man and realized that it was the secret of his success as a master musician. He was a genius at his craft and he had fun doing it!

  Jonathon finished putting on his necktie and checked the clock on his bedroom bureau. “Faith,” he hollered out the door. “We should be leaving in a few minutes.”

  “I’ll be ready, Daddy,” she answered.

  When Jonathon came out of the bedroom into the living room, he saw Terry sitting quietly on the couch looking at a comic book. “How are you doing, Terry?” Jon kneeled down in front of him. “This is going to be an exciting evening for all of us, especially your mom. Before we go to the auditorium do you want something to eat or drink?”

  “I’m still full with the sandwiches Faith fixed for us,” he replied. He was a serious little boy. Over the past few months, Jonathon had become attached to the child. He had good manners, which was a reflection of growing up with his mother and he listened well when he was asked to do something. He and Faith got along well. She was the big sister he never had.

  “I’m all set,” announced Faith, entering the room and doing a twirl in the center of the floor to show off her new teal dress.

  “You and Lisa are dressed in the same colors,” Jonathon noted. “I guess we can get going now. Are you anxious, Faith?”

  “Oh, Daddy. You can’t know how much I’ve looked forward to this concert. Lisa has talked a lot about the orchestra to me. When I go to school I’m going to play in one too.”

  “That would be nice, honey. You look lovely tonight. I’m glad we’re going to have some time together. I love you.” Jonathon hugged his daughter and kissed her on the top of her head.

  “I love you too, Daddy, and I’m awfully proud of you. You look handsome in your uniform.”

  “Flattery will get you anything,” he laughed, grabbing the car keys from the counter. “Lets mount up and move out.” Terry followed Faith out the door.

  The auditorium was beginning to fill. Jonathon parked the car in the parking lot and locked it. He held his arms out for the children to hang on to him. Faith held his right hand and Terry grasped the tong on his artificial arm. He was as comfortable with it as he would have been with his right hand. They had reserved seats in the front row near the piano. The stage curtain had been removed for the orchestra, because it used up all of the main stage area plus the front extension. Lisa’s piano was always to the left of the conductor’s platform and positioned so that she could see the conductor when he was at the podium. Soloists and singers had a position marked on the stage floor where they stood so that, at a glance, she could watch the conductor and the soloist at the same time without moving her head from the music rack on the piano.

  Jonathon sat Terry between Faith and himself. He leaned over to ask Terry if he had to use the bathroom. Terry shook his head, slightly embarrassed. Jonathon squeezed his little hand and Terry squeezed it back. It was a simple gesture but it filled Jonathon with contentment. He recalled reading somewhere that to be loved by a small child was the ultimate compliment. He was inclined to believe that it was true.

  The lights in the auditorium blinked twice and dimmed. The stage flood lights were amplified as the orchestra members filed across the stage to take their assigned positions. They saw Lisa walk directly to the piano. She bowed to the audience and took her seat. She was beautiful and Jonathon felt his heart beat faster. The conductor was the last to come on stage. He was a relatively young man. Jonathon recognized him as one of the senior ROTC members. He bowed to the orchestra and turned to bow to the audience.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” he announced. “Thank you for coming to the New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra winter concert. Tonight we have a variety of selections for your enjoyment. At the heart of our presentation will be passages from Beethoven’s Sixth and Ninth Symphonies, which describe a pastoral setting not unlike our own New Hampshire countryside. We are thrilled to also include different types of music to reflect the different tastes of our community. Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy our interpretations.”

  The orchestra began with opening passages from Beethoven's Sixth Symphony. The classical passages held the audience spellbound. The transition from classical to contemporary selections was seamless and the audience followed closely those portions from Broadway musicals, such as Guys and Dolls and The King and I. For an hour the orchestra played without a break, doing Scottish and Irish folk songs and a large number of currently popular selections including, Goodnight Irene, Mona Lisa, and Buttons and Bows.

  The conductor then turned to the audience. “Tonight we are honored to present to you an internationally famous violinist from Japan. It is a privilege and my distinct pleasure to introduce Mister Horio Taniguchi.” The conductor held out his left hand to a short white-haired man in a black tuxedo and bow-tie. Mister Taniguchi bowed to the conductor and to the audience. The conductor shook his hand and directed him to the microphone. The audience gave him a warm welcome.

  Mister Taniguchi stood in front of the microphone holding his violin and bow in his left hand. He raised his right hand in acknowledgment of the reception. He was a very dignified looking figure. The audience slowly became quiet. Mister Taniguchi bowed again to the audience and talked into the microphone. “Thank you, thank you for receiving this humble fiddle player with such enthusiasm. I was anxious to come to America before I became too old to play. I want to bring the soothing power of music to our war-torn world, one more time. Music touches everyone’s heart and what a privilege it is for me to carry that message to people like you. Well,” he smiled and scanned the audience side to side, front to back. “I came here to play the fiddle not to lecture. I’m sure you’re familiar with the lovely lady who will accompany me tonight—Miss Lisa Carter.” He motioned her to take a bow.

  Lisa curtsied to the audience and to Mister Taniguchi and sat down. Mister T left the microphone and took his position marked on the floor near Lisa’s piano. He caught Lisa’s eye and paused for a second then began his rendition of one of Beethoven’s most moving pieces of music—the Ninth Symphony.

  Jonathon couldn’t take his eyes off Lisa and Mister Taniguchi. The two musicians were completely synchronized and became as one with the music. Their interpretation of the emotions expressed by the composer were felt by the audience as well as the performers.

  Mister Taniguchi played the violin with long sweeps of the bow across the strings, creating a smooth continuity to the melody without a break between the notes. He held the notes for a long time pulsated with a frequency that embraced the full spectrum of human experiences. It was the work of a gifted master. Exquisite sounds filled the auditorium, elevating the musical experience to new heights. The music embraced both performers as well as the audience—part of the magic he imparted to every composition he played.

  Lisa radiated with happiness. The music had touched her in a way it had never done before. It was almost as if she were playing and hearing the selections for the very first time. Tears of rapture filled her eyes. When the composition ended quickly and with a flurry, the audience was so enthralled that it took a few seconds for them to respond. And they did so with a standing ovation that rattled the auditorium walls.

  Mister T’s eyes were also glistening. He looked at Lisa and motioned for her to take a bow. She did so and the applause continued for a long time. When it ended, Mister T's eyes again met Lisa's and they began an encore of popular songs including Canadian Sunset, Shrimp Boats, Cry, and Ghost Riders In The Sky.

  The
Japanese fiddle player, as he called himself, captivated the audience. Again and again he was called back, for five encores. The applause was spontaneous and enthusiastic. He did a few Broadway musical numbers and more contemporary music. He held up his hand in salute after the fifth encore then started a bouncing rendition of Turkey In The Straw, a traditional hoedown. It brought the crowd to its feet again. Tears streamed down Mister Taniguchi’s cheeks as he played the final notes.

  Lisa was entranced. Never had she experienced such profound emotions from music. She bowed to the audience and to Mister T. He placed his violin on the piano and embraced her. Their tears joined as one.

  Jonathon absorbed the power of the performance and the response from the audience, and wondered if he had made a mistake in not telling Lisa who Mister T really was. Terry and Faith were also caught up in the energy that filled the auditorium. The orchestra left the stage for a short intermission. Jonathon was unable to contain his misgivings. He grabbed Terry and Faith and climbed the side steps to the stage where he confronted Lisa and Mister T. Still holding Terry in his left arm, Jonathon embraced Lisa. She wrapped her arms around the two of them.

  “Lisa,” he cried.

  She saw the desperation in his eyes. “What’s wrong, Jonathon?”

  “I have to tell you that Mister Taniguchi is Terry’s grandfather.” He was filled with emotion, but he had carefully sounded each word so that she would not misunderstand him.

  She looked in his eyes with disbelief. “Are you sure, Jon?”

  “Yes.”

  “I knew there was something special about him,” she answered, dazed by the revelation, yet, not surprised. The music had bonded the two! She released Jonathon and Terry.

  “Do you want me to tell him?” asked Jonathon breathlessly.

  “No, I will do that,” she answered, taking Terry in her arms. She turned to face the emotional Mister Taniguchi.