Reflections

I recently read a marvelous little book. The book is a record of conversations between Edward Said, who needs no introduction and Daniel Barenboim. Barenboim is an Argentine born musician and conductor who has conducted many famous orchestras worldwide including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The La Scala in Milan and more importantly, the Berlin Philharmonic. Incidentally, he has also played in Calcutta.  As a Jew, he has come to terms with the massacre of the Jews by the Nazis and has tried to distinguish between the Nazis and the German population in general. The book has many interesting discussions about his bold decision to play Wagner in Tel Aviv which caused a big brouhaha. Wagner, if you remember as the German composer known to be anti-Semitic and was idolized by the Nazis. He has, in his conversations clearly distinguished the music from the political opinions of the famous composer. However, one part of the conversation between the two men related to what cons...