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Ruach: Playing flute for Susanne's memorial

From: Michael Jackman
Length: 02:45

Our strangely intertwined melodies led me to play flute at Susanne's memorial service. Read the full description.

Piece Audio

Playing: Ruach: Playing flute for Susanne's memorial
From: Michael Jackman

Default-piece-image-0 "...She lay on a hospital bed surrounded by family, friends and flowers. Soft classical music played. We held hands and talked a little. Her fingers were warm and still seemed full of life. In a slurry voice, due to the brain tumors, she told me she missed teaching and soon fell asleep. She died a few days later. "The flute choir played at her memorial. So there I was, blowing notes that had been brought to life thanks in part to my colleague who had just slipped out of it...."

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Piece Description

"...She lay on a hospital bed surrounded by family, friends and flowers. Soft classical music played. We held hands and talked a little. Her fingers were warm and still seemed full of life. In a slurry voice, due to the brain tumors, she told me she missed teaching and soon fell asleep. She died a few days later. "The flute choir played at her memorial. So there I was, blowing notes that had been brought to life thanks in part to my colleague who had just slipped out of it...."

Broadcast History

Morehead State Public Radio, WMKY, Mountain Edition, 9/19/05.

Transcript

Ruach
by Michael Jackman

To me a flute produces a soulful, otherworldly tone that connects spirit, body and world into one haunting, whistling line.

I always loved that tone, which is why when I signed up for junior high school band I specifically asked to learn the flute. But the band conductor said I didn't have the lips for the job. So I ended up in an ambivalent relationship with a clarinet through high school.

I never gave up my flute ambition, though. About 20 years later I finally bought a used model. I took it home and brought it to my lips, about as excited as a guy ending a really good first date. I puckered up. Unfortunately, my untutored kisses couldn't awaken my sleeping platinum-blonde beauty. They may have driven her deeper into a coma. I put the Gemeinhardt in a closet, to gather dust.

In grad school a few years later my friend Susanne and I both had papers...
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