Got an e-mail from Phil (his real name) in Germany a few days ago saying he was liking my 5-part setting of the Ballade des Pendus and wanted to talk about performance difficulties--call him Saturday. I'm going all funny about this. I had forgot that Phil even had a copy of it, and here he is talking about performance. There are damned few 5-part choirs in the world--unless the Pope's castrati have moved to the Netherlands--that could sing the bare notes of this strange funeral piece. But if they have, and they want to stand up in public and sing it, I sure won't prevent it. Then of course, if and when my stuff gets performed and I become famous, my real identity will be revealed, and I will lose my much valued anonymity. Spero di no--but it could happen. Till then, I will ruminate, and lucubrate, as I please, as 'Anatole.'