Or: what you always wanted to know, but…

Do you ever make music for your own pleasure?

Seldom. Occasionally, I participate if friends want to read through duets or madrigals.

In addition, since my retirement from solo performing, I have joined an amateur choir which sings a Bach cantata every month in the Westerkerk, (a church) in Amsterdam.

What is your favorite music?

That requires clarification: Music which I most prefer to perform is that of Bach, Schubert, Fauré, and Britten.

Vocal music which I enjoy listening to in a professional capacity includes, for example, operas by Handel and Mozart, or Brittan’s War Requiem.

However, in the comfort of my own home, I generally listen to instrumental music, the style of which can vary. In that area, I’m a fan of (amongst others) the pianist Jacques Loussier (classic jazz).

And what do you avoid listening to?

Musical wallpaper, vocal pop music, and anything which is too awfully loud. (Although, I have occasionally enjoyed disco sounds in a dance club; but that requires a particular mood and the appropriate company.)

Do you play piano/harpsichord well?

You’ve touched on a mini-tragedy in my life: interrupted piano studies. When I was six, I took my first lessons, but the outbreak of the Second World War meant (in my birthplace, the Dutch East Indies) the internment of the entire family. And goodbye piano…

After the war, my parents had to start again from scratch, and when the next piano arrived, I was already 16 (and very busy with school); so piano studies didn’t amount to much.

Therefore: when I give lessons to advanced students, I hire an accompanist. In that way, a unique professional relationship has been created with pianist/harpsichordist Pablo Escande, who is also a successful composer.

Do you practice any art(s) other than music?

Few. In my younger days, I occasionally did watercolors. I also once translated a French poem into Dutch, in verse.

How many languages do you speak?

Like most people of my generation in Holland, I learned French, German and English at school, in addition to my mother tongue. Later, I had the benefit of much practice, so that my skill ended up being above the average school level. In addition, I know some Italian, and a few words of Spanish and Portuguese.

Do you read anything beside notes?

Books about historical, medical or psychological subjects. Biographies and detective novels. And for lighter fare: Marten Toonder (Dutch author of intellectual cartoons).

What is the most recent book you’ve read?

Christoph Wolff’s biography of J.S. Bach. The life and work of that man will never fail to inspire me.

Which book most inspired you?

Edward Ball: Slaves in the Family. Ball is a journalist and [a] descendant of former slave owners in the US. He created both an in-depth and honorable work of research and ultimately dedicated the book to the descendants of former slaves, as a means of apology and reparation. He uses the book as an outlet for feelings of guilt about the actions of his ancestors. That is characteristic of this Mr. Ball, whom I saw in a TV interview, and who I see as a morally upright man.

Which newspaper?

Several newspapers a day. I consciously attempt to vary them.

And which sections of the newspaper get preference?

The front page, the weather, the arts pages, and letters to the editor. Occasionally, the obituaries and birth announcements.

Which TV series do you follow?

None. I regularly watch the news, and occasionally enjoy an English play or a film.

Do you collect anything?

No… nothing worth mentioning.

Do you do sports?

Religiously. Not a day goes by when I don’t swim or jog. In the few situations when that’s not possible (while traveling, etc.), then I do a good bit of gymnastics.

Since my 27th birthday, it’s become a routine like taking a shower, or brushing my teeth, and without it, I wouldn’t feel ready to start the day.

Your relationship with cars and bikes.

A car is often unnecessary. Sometimes a necessary evil, and very occasionally a blessing in disguise.

My ideal scenario is the following: After having owned a car for about 20 years, I’ve already gotten by for the last 25 years mostly with the train, and if necessary, a rental car.

My bicycle is almost an extension of my body. In Amsterdam, I go practically everywhere by bike. Outside Amsterdam, I often rent or borrow one. If I go somewhere often, then I buy a second-hand bike that lives there and is ready when I need it.

Which restaurant/café do you like to visit?

In Amsterdam: Mankind. In Boston: Carborage. In Oberlin: Racks. In London: Mr. Woo’s. In short… nothing out of the ordinary, just quiet, comfortable places.

What is your favorite culinary destination?

Bad news: haute cuisine is actually not so important to me! What I do look for are healthy things. That’s why I am quite fond of the salad bars in America, and the light snacks in Japan.

Why did you ever have a moustache, and why didn’t you keep it?

Like everyone else who found out that he was a bit of an ugly duckling, I’ve always been hopelessly insecure about having the appropriate clothing or demeanor. However, the moustache went away soon enough, when I heard that getting rid of it “makes you look ten years younger”.

Do you have an affinity with the country, or are you a city dweller?

I feel very much at home amongst the goings-on of the people of a (preferably medium-sized) city. But I enjoy immensely the peace and cleanliness of the countryside. Summing up, I would need to live in a city center and be able to relax in the countryside, preferably near water. (Actually, that’s my current situation.)

Name something (surprising) that you’re good at.

I think that I’m a patient person. But more with people than with things or machines.

What is your zodiac sign? And does it matter to you?

Aquarius. I would actually like to know more about it, because fascinates me.

Did your experiences in the concentration camp affect the rest of your life?

Not in a negative way. I have not noticed lasting scars. It made me wise for my years and independent at an early age. My brother and I often say that it did contribute to our “nerves of steel”