“Stephen once told me it isn’t the difficulty of the piece that matters but the part of your soul or being that you put into it,” John observed. “He may have been being modest at the time. It was just after one of his virtuoso moments where he had performed a piece that was considered beyond his years and training. I think he was annoyed at one of the judges at the time, who had sneered a little at the piece he had chosen for adjudication.”
John smiled wryly as he remembered Dr. Pearson’s condescension when John began preparing to forge his Amulet. “He may be as bad as his older brother when it comes to that kind of thing.
“But just like his older brother,” John observed with a little fraternal pride, “he proved his detractor wrong.
“I’d imagine your playing that part is a performance worth listening to,” he continued more quietly. “Even more so than usual. I’m still very much looking forward to hearing you play sometime. Do you think it will be before you get to hear Stephen and his quintet play on Sunday?”