A Late Quartet Page #3

that involve Parkinson's.

One of them

is that everything gets smaller.

Our posture gets smaller,

our stride gets smaller,

our voice gets smaller,

even our handwriting gets small.

Everything contracts and closes in.

So we need to push those boundaries out.

We need to move big, so that

we can take control of Parkinson's,

rather than it taking

control of us.

And to do that,

we use conscious movement.

So, let's just start by stretching

the arms out,

and bringing them up

and bringing them down,

and bringing them up and out.

And we're gonna go front and side.

And up and down. Good job.

And front, and stretch side.

And up and down.

(PLAYING SLOW, LUSH MELODY)

Nice.

My father gave me a tip.

Sounds like a good one.

It was a good one. You should

take a tip from him yourself.

Yeah? Like what?

He could teach you

to be a little less...

...anal.

That's funny.

OK... Frankly, I don't think

you need my help anymore.

And don't worry, I'll call Peter,

tell him something.

Come on, Daniel, I was... I was kidding.

I didn't mean it like that.

Of course you did. Just testing

the extent of your power, it's fine.

The extent of my power?

Could you illuminate me please?

Actually, it's more of a desperate need

for attention.

I would suggest you focus on the music.

Focus on the music?

(METRONOME CLICKING)

Is that all?

Yeah, you've probably just realized

how much hard work it takes

to become a decent violinist,

let alone a good one,

and you're not sure anymore

whether it's worth the trouble,

whether you're talented enough,

whether you can handle the pressure.

Just you and the violin

in a small studio

making the most miniscule progress

every day... of your life.

That's why you formed your quartet.

You thought it would alleviate

all of your problems.

You found it's even more work and now

you're stuck with three other people.

Totally dependent

on the way they play, their taste.

They constantly scrutinize

your talent. They hear every flaw.

And that hurts

your little ego very much.

Doesn't it?

(RAIN PATTERING)

(DISTANT SIREN BLARING)

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

You're special, Alex.

Yeah, right.

Don't waste it.

See you next week.

(STRING QUARTET PLAYING

SOFT, LIGHT MELODY)

PETER:
I was relentless about getting

him to form a quartet,

but he yearned, as they always do,

to become a soloist.

How little they know,

or even suspect.

Then, on the final day of the semester,

Daniel comes to me and he says,

"Professor,

I've decided to form a quartet

and I want you to be its cellist."

I'm thinking, "Is this guy nuts?

I'm 30 years older."

And I had made it clear

that since the Hudson's breakup,

where I played with Juliette's mother,

I was not inclined to perform anymore.

Daniel insisted and my wife said,

"Do it!"

So I said, OK, providing

that Jules would join us on viola.

That would've been

my first choice regardless.

But the really curious, star-crossed

aspect of this is how we found Robert.

You tell 'em.

ROBERT:
I was leaving

Juilliard for the day,

and Daniel pokes his head

out of the room and says,

(IN DANIEL'S ACCENT): "Robert...

(LAUGHING) ...would you like to play...

play a movement with us,

just to, you know, wrap up the night?"

I was. . .

I hadn't even really considered it.

Andi was a freshman at the time,

and was about to transfer to NEC

to study modern composition with Lampl.

And, you know, second violin,

playing with a quartet,

I wasn't sure if I was ready

for that commitment.

Anyway, from the first note, it was...

...I got it.

You know, I understood, this...

...the dynamic of a quartet

and how special that was

to be a pan' of a group.

And that being a pan' of the group

is about becoming one.

And until that point,

I don't think I understood that.

I thought! was the one, you know?

But that was more special,

to be a pan'.

And... and there was

this incredibly beautiful woman

across from me, playing the viola,

like... like her life depended upon it.

She was... breathtaking.

"Star-crossed, " you know,

I don't know.

- JULIETTE:
Robert.

- Mm-hm.

I'd really like you to drop

the alternating chairs idea.

Why?

Because it puts the quartet in danger.

Why is it every time I...

Daniel will never agree

to accompany you.

Well, I don't view our roles

as accompaniment.

No, of course not.

Of course not.

But why now, why are you

making an issue of this now?

I never wanted to be

a second violin.

And I never pushed it

because... we were good.

Well, I liked it...

for the harmony.

I know, I appreciate that.

You know, when Peter brought

up that he might be leaving...

But what if he stays?

I'd still want us to alternate.

You remember, remember

when we first started out,

that every rehearsal was...

discovery?

We'd looked

forward to going there.

We'd argue just to argue

over a hairpin.

We'd jump down each other's

throats over a bow stroke.

"I think it's up." "it's down."

"I think it's up."

"it's down."

- "I think it's up."

- I know, it was awful.

(CHUCKLES)

- I miss that.

- Yeah.

I miss being excited.

I miss that. I can't tell you.

Daniel...

Daniel doesn't think that your qualities

are best suited for first chair.

Excuse me?

He just doesn't think that you

would be a good first chair.

- Why don't you have my back on this?

- I do.

Why do you have his back,

and you do not have my back on this?

That's not the case.

Look, we've always

agreed to be impartial

in these particular matters,

you know that.

Fine.

Completely impartial.

Do you think I wouldn't be as good

a first violin as Daniel?

- Oh, come on. I think you...

- Impartial. Impartial.

I think you're an amazing violinist.

I think you're... great.

First, second...

it doesn't matter to me.

- It matters to me.

- But this isn't about you or me.

- Yes, it's about me. Yeah, it is.

- No. No, this is about the quartet.

(SIGHS)

And I think that you are...

...the best second violinist out there.

- There's nobody better for your part.

- Wow.

Wow.

- Could you stop the cab?

- JULIETTE:
Please don't. Robert.

- Everyone values your contribution.

- Oh, God.

- Robert...

- Right here.

When did you and Daniel

talk this through?

He wanted to meet to talk about

how we could stay together, Rob...

(SLOW, DESPONDEN ORCHESTRAL MUSIC PLAYING)

I met with Gideon...

Mm-hm.

...and he says no.

You offered to help him

find another cellist, right?

He likes working

with Nina too much.

Yeah, of course he does.

He had six different cellists he liked

working with too much before Nina.

Over 40 years.

Right, don't worry,

I'll talk to Nina tomorrow.

Not yet, wait. See what happens.

Maybe you should reconsider

your retirement, Peter.

If you'll be able to play well soon,

we're all confident you will,

we would love for you to continue

playing with us for as long as you can.

What about no compromise,

quality above all?

Find a new cellist and then take

the Fugue to another place.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote