God Bless You Slava

This morning, Mstislav Rostropovich, probably the world's greatest living cellist died. I heard it on WFUV and then switched quickly over to WQXR to get the real scoop. I cried for about 10 minutes. He was such a great musician - soloist as well as conductor and showed such a great joie de vive while performing. He was so enthusiastic that upon completing a concert would hop off the podium and kiss and hug the musicians within reach. That's what being a musician is. That joy, that delight in every aspect of being a musician. I so wish I had gotten to see him live before he passed away. What a loss to the music world and everyone in general.

The photo, is of him playing his cello - the Bach Suites while the Berlin Wall is coming down.