B is for Boredom, a Creative Force

Displeased with my playing of a passage, I turn off the lights. Sitting at the piano in the dark, I hear the piece mentally, then play it the best I can. When I finish, I think over my playing, then gather my forces and perform it again, this time a different way.

I repeat the process until the piece has nothing more to offer me, or I have nothing more to offer it. I am thoroughly bored. I can’t stand to play it again!

I play it again, and yet again. I try different things each time, until boredom has forced me to find more in the piece than I realized was there.

Coming to myself from so deep in the work, I find that I’m exhausted.