“It’s so... sexy.” She pushed her glasses up.

Rhoda stepped away and laughed. “Of course it is. All music is sexy…except Shoenberg’s, and he must have been neurotic. Or it’s playful, or moody. You always have to look for the emotional statement while you master the notes. Rachmaninoff was almost literally erotic. He said every well-crafted movement had to push forward to a climax.”

“Bach doesn’t seem that way.”

Rhoda laughed. “Hard to be sexy in church, is that it? But wait until you’re older. You’ll see that the old gentleman mastered all the moods, and in a more healthy frame of mind than anyone else.”

“I like Bach.”

“Well, let’s work on the double concerto again. I’ll play it with you this time.”

4

At Debbie’s third lesson, Rhoda began having her bring the violin parts for the works programmed for the next concert. She had also asked her to bring a book of Beethoven and Mozart sonatas. The romantic concertos were fun, but a tutti player needed to learn classical precision above all.

Debbie made music for an hour. Finishing a difficult piece, she hunched her shoulders and rotated her head. Her back was sore.

“Debbie, let’s take a break.” Rhoda stood behind her and put her hands on her shoulders. She rubbed her thumbs lightly against the girl’s shoulder blades. “Gets to you, doesn’t it?”

“I’m practicing five hours a day at home. It’s tiring.”

“Well, you have to learn how to relax. Let me give you a little back rub.” Rhoda took the violin and bow from Debra and laid them in the case. “Massage is one of my hobbies, did I tell you?”

“Oh, really? Neat.”

Rhoda took Debbie by the elbow and pushed her into her bedroom. “Here,” she said, “just lie down on the end of the bed. Yes, that’s it, face down.”