Diverting hobbies

A conversation with an Englishman (Ⅱ)
― Diverting hobbies ―
・Do you have some hobby to divert yourself?
・I take flute lessons these days.
・The flute? That’s interesting! How long have you been playing?
・Only one and half years.
・One and half years? Why did you choose the flute?
・It seems to be the lightest musical instrument.
・Possibly, but for example, isn’t the piccolo lighter?
・Yes, but it has too high a tone. The flute has a middle tone, and besides it doesn’t have a low tone.
・Did you play any other music instruments when you were young?
・I played the bass for a few months when I was a schoolboy.
・Bass? What instrument is that?
・It’s very much like the tuba. We call it the bass.
・Oh, I know. Do you like brass instruments?
・Strangely, not so much. In those days, we could only play wind instruments in our school.
・Is the flute a brass instrument or a woodwind one?
・It’s woodwind.
・But it’s made from metal, isn’t it?
・Yes, most flutes are made from metal today. However, in former days, they were made from wood.
・Why did you play the bass for only a few months?
・Because it was not so enjoyable for me. I couldn’t play the melody on the bass, only a limited accompaniment.
・Certainly, there are many solo pieces for the flute, aren’t there?
・Quite so. We can get many musical scores for the flute.
・Can I listen to you play some day?
・Sorry, but I haven’t mastered any tunes enough to listen to yet.
・How many lessons do you have a week?
・I have three lessons a month.
・Three a month? How many hours a week do you practice?
・I want to play at least two days a week, one hour or more each day.
・Do you do so?
・Yes, I probably play two or three times a week. However, I think one should practice almost everyday, at least five days a week.
・Anyway, it’s superb to have such a diverting hobby. I truly envy you.
・Nevertheless, I’ve come to believe firmly that music exists for me to listen to, not to play.
・Oh, all you have to do is practice. Besides, I think it’s more important to listen to good performances than to play. What kind of music do you like?
・I like classical music, cinema music, Italian canzone and old Japanese songs.
・What soundtracks do you like?
・I don’t know their English titles.
・When were those Japanese songs composed?
・I can’t surely say, but I think they were composed about fifty to a hundred years ago．
・Which kind of music are they?
・They are popular music. In those days, many Japanese were influenced by American and European culture and admired it. Some musicians studied in Western countries, and they composed many good songs.
・That’s interesting. What songs could you introduce me to?
・You may choose yourself. There are many cassettes or CDs such as ”Natsukasi no melody” which means “The sweet old songs”.
・All right, I’ll buy one soon. I never knew until today that you liked music as much as that. Do you listen to music every day?
・In former days, yes. But during these last twenty years, I’ve listened rarely. In the past, we could make more noise in our apartment. When my daughters were students preparing for an examination, I couldn’t listen much at all.
・What kind of music do you listen to once in a while?
・I like, for example, the piano concerto K.466 or K.488 by Mozart, cello concertos in a minor key by Vivaldi or the violin concerto No. 2 or unaccompanied violin partita No.2 by Bach. I like them much even now.
・I believe you shall play your own enjoyable music in the near future.
・Thanks a lot. But I already believe firmly that God never supposed for me to play the flute when he created me.
・Oh, I’m always amused by your exaggerations! (Jan. '05. Malandro)