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A FEW NOTES ABOUT BEING REVERENT - MINDFUL, AND APPRECIATIVE, OF THOSE WHO GOT US FROM THERE TO HERE - BUT NEVER KNEW IT!
IT MIGHT SEEM TO READERS, THAT I AM SWEETLY REVERENT ABOUT EVERYONE I'VE EVER MET. POSSIBLY IT APPEARS, AT LEAST ON YOUR ELECTRONIC SCREEN, THAT I'VE BEEN INFLUENCED BY EVERY OTHER PERSON ENCOUNTERED, IN THIS LIFE OF FIFTY-NINE YEARS. MAYBE I HAVE, AND I WILL CERTAINLY NEVER OFFER AN APOLOGY, FOR TAKING INSPIRATION WHEN IT IS OFFERED. EVEN IF IT'S NOT, I WILL TAKE WHAT I FEEL MAKES ME STRONGER AND MORE RESILIENT. IT'S NOT LIKE I'VE BEEN INFLUENCED TO JOIN THE KLAN, OR A RADICAL GROUP, PLANNING TO OVERTHROW A PRESIDING GOVERNMENT. BUT I HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED FOR, AND FOUND, THOSE FOUNTAINS OF OPTIMISM I FELT WERE NEEDED, TO IMPROVE MYSELF, AND MY WORK, IN SOME PARTICULAR DIRECTION.
WHEN I WAS EDITOR OF THE MUSKOKA LAKES-GEORGIAN BAY BEACON, BACK IN 1980, I HAD A CHANCE TO WORK WITH A REPORTER WHO WAS PART-TIME WITH OUR PAPER, AND THE HERALD-GAZETTE, OUR SISTER PUBLICATION, IN BRACEBRIDGE. HIS NAME WAS MIKE, AND WE'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. HE WAS FRESH OUT OF COLLEGE, AND HAD HIS EYES ON A BIGGER CAREER IN JOURNALISM. OF COURSE, WE ALL HAD THOSE KIND OF ASPIRATIONS, BUT A YEAR OR TWO, OF DAY TO DAY WRITING WORK, ON A SMALL PAPER, USUALLY BEAT THOSE ASPIRATIONS OUT OF US; EXCEPT A FEW THAT DID GO ON TO THE DAILIES. THE CASUALTY RATE IS HIGH. THERE'S MORE LIKELIHOOD OF A BEAT REPORTER FOR A SMALL NEWSPAPER, GOING ON, TO BECOME A HOUSE PAINTER OR REAL ESTATE AGENT, THAN A FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT, COVERING THE LATEST OUTBREAK OF WAR.
I ATTENDED UNIVERSITY TO BECOME A WRITER. NOT A REPORTER. MY AMBITION WAS TO WRITE NOVELS NOT NEWS STORIES. BUT HAVING TO EAT, I HAD TO ACCEPT A JOB WITH THE COMMUNITY PRESS, AND HOPE TO GOD, I COULD COME OUT THE OTHER END, AND STILL WANT TO PEN NOVELS. WELL, I HAVEN'T WRITTEN A NOVEL YET. MIKE HAD A GREAT YET NAIVE OUTLOOK, BUT HE SHARED A LOT OF COLLEGE STORIES WITH ME, THAT I DIDN'T GET IN MY COURSE OF STUDY, AT YORK UNIVERSITY. ONE OF HIS SHARED TUTORIALS, WAS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTORING AND BEING MENTORED; PASSING KNOWLEDGE ON TO FLEDGLING REPORTERS, FOR THE GOOD OF THE INDUSTRY. WE DIDN'T LOOK AT OURSELVES AS COMPETITORS, BUT RATHER OARSMEN IN THE SAME SINKING BOAT. IF WE WORKED TOGETHER, AND UTILIZED EACH OTHER'S STRENGTHS, POSSIBLY WE COULD SURVIVE, AND ONE DAY, ACTUALLY BEACH OUR CRAFT ON SHORE AGAIN.
HE EXPLAINED TO ME, THE IMPORTANCE OF "BLEEDING ME DRY!" WE HAD ALREADY CONSUMED A HALF DOZEN BOTTLES OF BEER EACH, BY THIS POINT, AND I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED HE WAS GOING TO KILL ME. HOW ELSE DO YOU BLEED SOMEONE DRY? OH YEA, THE PHILOSOPHICAL WAY. WHAT HE MEANT BY THIS, IS THAT HE WAS GOING TO LEARN ALL MY GOOD QUALITIES AS AN EDITOR, AS WELL AS STUDY ALL MY POOR AND FAILING QUALITIES. HE NEEDED TO KNOW WHAT I BROUGHT TO THE PAPER, AND THEN, HOW MY LETHARGY AT THE TASK OF EDITING, WAS HURTING THE PUBLICATION. THE IDEA, WAS TO NEVER MISS AN OPPORTUNITY, TO LEARN FROM COLLEAGUES, AND NOT JUST ABOUT PROFICIENCIES. MIKE WAS WATCHING ME PERFORM AT MY TASK, WHICH ON SOME DAYS WAS EXCELLENT, OTHERS, NOT SO MUCH. AND THEN TAKING THIS AWAY FROM THE JOB, AS A SORT OF LIVING TEXTBOOK, ON HOW TO STAY EMPLOYED AND EXCEL, AT THE BUSINESS OF GATHERING AND WRITING NEWS. I THINK THE FIRST FAULT, WAS THAT I DRANK TOO MUCH, AND WAS TOO INFLUENTIAL, GETTING HIM TO MATCH ME BEER FOR BEER AT THE LOCAL WATERING HOLE. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CUNNING THAT WAY. I HATE TO DRINK ALONE. BUT THE POINT WAS A GOOD ONE. WE HAD TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, AND AN EDITOR CAN LEARN A LOT FROM A REPORTER; EVEN ONE FRESH FROM SCHOOL. I'M GLAD I LEARNED THIS EARLY IN MY CAREER, BECAUSE IT HAS WORKED LIKE A CHARM FOR ME, EVER SINCE. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT LOOKS IN PRINT, LIKE I'M INDEBTED TO EVERYONE WHO EVER PICKED UP A PEN, AND WROTE A BYLINE ABOVE A NEWS PIECE. I CAN TELL YOU, THAT IT'S THE ONE HUGE NEGATIVE I SEE TODAY, ALMOST EVERYWHERE, AS SOCIETY IS OVER-CROWDED BY SELF PROCLAIMED EXPERTS, WHO DON'T NEED TO "BE IMPROVED UPON." AS A SORT OF MINOR COUNTER-MEASURE, I'VE BEEN DETERMINED TO PROVE, BY EXAMPLE, THAT THIS SHADOWING, MENTORING THING, IS NEVER WRONG, UNLESS ITS A RADICALIZATION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. I'VE KNOWN A FEW OF THESE FOLKS AS WELL, AND I'VE LEARNED FROM THEIR OVER-ZEALOUS AMBITIONS, THAT IT'S NOT A LIFE FOR ME.
I SUPPOSE YOU THINK, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE BRONZE STATUES OF EVERYONE I'VE ADMIRED, LINING THE STREETS OF OUR TOWNS, HERE IN SOUTH MUSKOKA. WELL, JUST FOR THE RECORD, I HAVE NEVER ONCE PETITIONED ANYONE, OR GOVERNMENT AGENCY, AT ANY TIME, TO AFFORD A STATUE, BASED ON MY RESPECT AND ADMIRATION FOR AN INDIVIDUAL. I DON'T BELIVE THAT A STATUE CAN REPLACE FUNDAMENTAL RESPECT, THAT WE PICK UP BY ASSOCIATION, AND BY CONNECTION, TO THE WORK AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR PEERS. WHILE IT WOULD BE NEAT TO SEE A STATUE OF BRACEBRIDGE BORN, HOCKEY ALLSTAR, ROGER CROZIER, OR IRVIN "ACE" BAILEY, WRITERS WAYLAND DREW, AND PAUL RIMSTEAD, BAND-LEADER JOHN RUTHERFORD, AND NAMESAKE, AUTHOR, WASHINGTON IRVING, AND THE MAN WHO NAMED BRACEBRIDGE, IN 1864, WILLIAM DAWSON LESUEUR, IT STILL WOULDN'T MAKE ME FEEL VERY GOOD, TO HEAR THE CASUAL PASSERSBY, WALKING THROUGH THE PARK ASKING, "WHO THE HELL WAS THIS GUY?" UNLESS I WAS POSTED IN THE SAME PARK, TO BE THE SCULPTURES' INTEPRETOR, IT JUST ISN'T THE WAY TO GO. HIGH PROFILE STATUES, AS LASTING MEMORIALS, TO THOSE WHO PERISHED IN WAR-TIME, YES INDEED. A HALL OF FAME LINE OF BUSTS IN A PARK. WOULDN'T WORK. TOO MANY QUESTIONS AND TOO FEW ANSWERS.
SO I'VE TRIED, IN MY OWN WAY, AS A REGIONAL HISTORIAN AND OLD BOOK SELLER, TO KEEP THE NAMES OF SOME OF THESE SOURCES OF INSPIRATION, AND FRIENDS OF OUR COMMUNITIES, FOR LONG AND LONG, CURRENT AND RELEVANT TO WHAT IS GOING ON THESE DAYS IN SOUTH MUSKOKA.
PAUL AND RIMA BRODIE ARE TWO EXAMPLES, OF CITIZENS WHO CONTRIBUTED A GREAT DEAL TO THE ARTS AND CULTURE OF OUR COUNTRY, PROVINCE AND REGION, WHO ABSOLUTELY ADORED THEIR RECREATION IN BALA, AND AT THEIR COTTAGE ON THE MOON RIVER. I HAVE RIMA'S BIOGRAPHY, AND THE STORY OF HER DANCE, AND FIBRE-ART ACCOMPLISHMENTS, ALONGSIDE PAUL'S "AMBASSADOR OF THE SAXOPHONE," BIOGRAPHY, PROFILED IN YESTERDAY'S AND TODAY'S BLOG (SEE BELOW). SHOULD THEY BE AFFORDED BRONZE STATUES IN THE BALA FALLS PARKETTE? MORE SO, THEIR NAMES SHOULD STILL BE IN CIRCULATION, AND WE SHOULD STILL FIND PEOPLE ASKING ABOUT THEIR BIOGRAPHIES, AND IF WE HAVE ANY COPIES AVAILABLE. THESE ARE, BY ALL MEANS, GOOD AND POSITIVE STORIES, FROM PEOPLE WHO LED THEIR LIVES AS ROLE MODELS FOR THOUSANDS OF OTHER ASPIRING ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS. THEY, THROUGH THEIR WORK, AND RELATED MENTORING, HAVE INFLUENCED MANY OF US, IN SUBTLE WAYS, TO WORK HARD AT OUR INTERESTS, AND HONE OUR SKILLS, IN ORDER THAT WE BECOME MORE PROFICIENT; AND LEARN HOW TO ENJOY THE FRUITS OF OUR LABORS.
THE TWO PART STORY OF PAUL BRODIE, AND HIS PARTNER RIMA, IS NOT TO SCULPT MEMORIALS THAT WOULD PROBABLY EMBARRASS BOTH, WHO WERE HUMBLE COMPARED TO THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. IT'S NOT A BID ON MY PART TO SELL THEIR BOOKS, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THAT MANY TO OFFER, TRUTH BE KNOWN. I KNOW A GOOD STORY WHEN ONE BITES ME ON THE NOSE, AND WHEN I FOUND A SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BOOK, AT A CHARITY SHOP THIS WEEK, AND A PROGRAM FROM A 2001 CONCERT PAUL GAVE IN PORT CARLING, IN 2001, I DECIDED, FIRST OF ALL, TO READ IT COVER TO COVER TO REFRESH MY MEMORY (I READ THEM SHORTLY AFTER THEY WERE PUBLISHED); AND SECONDLY, TO REMIND MUSKOKA, AND ALL THOSE FROM OTHER AREAS OF THE WORLD, JUST HOW IMPORTANT THESE LATER-IN-LIFE MUSKOKANS, MEANT TO OUR CULTURAL QUALITIES AND QUANTITIES; AND I'M PRETTY SURE WE NEVER TOLD THEM, JUST HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATED THEIR DEDICATION. MY OWN BOYS BENEFITTED FROM PAUL'S MUSIC WORKSHOPS, AT PUBLIC SCHOOL, AND NOW THEY OWN THEIR OWN MUSIC STUDIO, WHERE THEY RECORD OTHER MUSICIANS AND BANDS, AS WELL AS CONDUCT LESSONS, ON TOP OF SELLING VINTAGE INSTRUMENTS AND VINTAGE VINYLE. I ASKED BOTH OF THEM A FEW MINUTES AGO, WHEN THEY DROPPED INTO THE STUDIO, ABOUT PAUL BRODIE, AND THEY REMEMBERED HIM FONDLY, AS A GOOD TEACHER, WITH A KIND STREAK ABOUT A MILE WIDE. WE DON'T HAVE A STATUE IN THE SHOP TO HONOR PAUL BRODIE, BUT WE DO HAVE HIS BOOKS AVAILABLE, JUST IN CASE ANY OF US ARE ASKED, ABOUT THOSE SPARKS OF INSPIRATION, FOR WHAT WE HAVE TODAY; AND WE CAN TURN AND PULL OUT HIS BIOGRAPHY, AND SAY, "HERE'S A MAN WORTH KNOWING."
SO IF IT SEEMS I'M OVERLY FOND OF TOO MANY PEOPLE, S FOR MY OWN GOOD, WELL FOLKS, I'VE GOT A LOT MORE ROOM TO BE INSPIRED; AND I WILL NEVER CEASE LOOKING TO OTHERS, FOR THE STRENGTH TO CARRY ON; NO MATTER WHAT THE PURSUIT.
BORN TO PERFORM - PAUL BRODIE CELEBRATED - AND BESTOWED GENEROUSLY, TO "THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE SAXOPHONE"
THE PRIVILEGE THE BOOK SELLER HAS, TO PROMOTE WHAT HAS BEEN FORGOTTEN; A BIOGRAPHY THAT SERVES TO INSPIRE
(THIS IS PART TWO, OF THE PAUL BRODIE BOOK REVIEW. YOU CAN ARCHIVE BACK TO READ PART ONE)
Since I first began selling vintage, out-of-print, and rare books, back in the early 1990's, I have always put Muskoka related biographies, and histories above all else. They have always appeared at the front of our shop. And by tradition, they are our best selling titles and authors. They have always been our most important books, because we feel it is incumbent for the local book seller, to reflect the social / cultural values of the home region. Today, in our new Gravenhurst antique and old book shop, we have included the biography of saxophone ambassador, Paul Brodie, in three sections of the store. We have his book proudly on display, as one of our Muskoka books, in the hallway leading to our back shops, and in the front book case, of our vintage music business, operated by sons Andrew and Robert. Actually, Paul's book is even available from our Canadiana section, in our haunted book room, in the back. The book out-front seems appropriate, as this building is the former Muskoka Theatre, and with Paul's face visible inside the door, it looks at a glance, as if he will be performing here at an upcoming concert. The movie "Heaven Can Wait," did play here once, and Paul actually played saxophone on the sound-track. We are proud to showcase his work, and his story, and we like his overview of Muskoka, his home away from home...and then, finally, his home, on the Moon River.
"My first engagement with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Walter Susskind, on December 27th, 1959, was not only as soloist with the orchestra, but included a segment with piano accompaniment that included the 'Intermezzo,' from the Opera 'Goyescas,' by Enrique Granados, the well known lollipop, 'Shon Rosmarin,' by Fritz Kreisler, and 'Hora Staccato,' by Dinicu-Heifetz. This program was going to be broadcast live on the CBC Radio-Network right across Canada. Rima flew in from New York to be at the concert, and both her folks and my entire Toronto family were going to be in the audience."
I purchased the biography of Paul Brodie, yesterday, and found a 2001 concert program tucked inside. The concert on that night, of Saturday, June 16th, was entitled, "The Golden Age Of The Saxophone," and was to feature two exceptional performers. One being Robert Kortgaard, on piano, the other, Bala cottager, and friend of Muskoka, Paul Brodie; being held at the Glenwood Chapel, in Port Carling, Ontario.
On the reverse side, the brief biography of Robert Koortgaard reads as follows: "born in Regina, Saskatchewan and was raised in Calgary, Alberta. He completed both his Bachelor and Master degrees at the Julliard School of Music, in New York City, before leaving for further studies in Italy and England, as the recipient of arts awards from the Canada Council. Since winning the grand prize in the Canadian Music Competition, Mr. Kortgaard has performed extensively throughout Canada and the United States, as well as England, Finland, Portugal, Italy, the Czech Republic, Indonesia and China. He has given numerous recitals and has appeared as a soloist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The Hamilton Philharmonic and the Edmonton Symphony."
The biography of Paul Brodie notes, that he was "born in Montreal, in 1934. Since 1960, he has performed over 2,500 concerts in England, Canada, the United States, Hong Kong, the Philippines, India, Singapore, Australia, China, Scotland, France, Italy, Russia, Israel, Argentina and Mexico. In March 1988, The Crescendo International Magazine from London, England, gave him the title of 'Ambassador of the Saxophone.'
"Warren Beatty featured his (Paul's) saxophone playing on the soundtrack of his Academy Award winning film, 'Heaven Can Wait.' He was also included on 'Clyde Gilmour's Favourites,' an album celebrating Gilmour's thirty years as the most popular music program ever heard on CBC Radio. Paul Brodie has appeared as a soloist with most of the leading symphony orchestras in Canada, and has often been featured on CBC AM/FM Radio, and Global Television. He has recorded 50 albums and C.D.'s, with some of Canada's finest musicians, including harpist Erica Goodman, clarinetist, James Campbell, pianists Eric Robertson, Valerie Tryon, and George Brough, for companies such as Crest Records, CBC Records, China Records, Truly Fine Records, ROI Records and Capitol Records. Over 50 composers have written music for him. He is the author of 'A Student's Guide to the Saxophone,' as well as three books of saxophone solos, published by Frederick Harris Music. In 1999 he wrote his autobiography, 'Paul Brodie - Ambassador of the Saxophone.' In 1969, Paul founded 'The World Saxophone Congress, and he has been an artist / clinician for 'The Selmer Company,' of the United States for over 30 years. In 1994, the Governor General of Canada appointed Paul Brodie as an Officer of The Order of Canada."
In 1962, Paul Brodie's personal agent, Ronald Joy, issued a flyer advertising the concert saxophonist. with the following companion overview. "Paul Brodie is Canada's foremost concert saxophonist. In addition to his duties as Director of the Brodie School of Music and Modern Dance, in Toronto, he is extensively engaged in concert work. The public has responded enthusiastically to the Brodie saxophone, a beautiful instrument interpreting repertoire of the great masters, and leading contemporary composers." Music critic, Raymond Ericson, of the New York Times, once noted of Mr. Brodie, that his "skill made everything he played sound fluent and easy. He varied the color of his instrument as much as he could, within the bounds of good taste, producing a lovely, soft tone when he wanted to, in splendidly vital performances."
"In the hands of a serious artist like Paul Brodie, the saxophone takes its right place in the musical firmament. Mr. Brodie is a skilled performer; in his hands the saxophone becomes a very different sounding instrument from the way we commonly know," wrote Dr. Leslie Bell, of the Toronto Daily Star. "A virtuoso performer, precise clarity, suavely executed," wrote John Kraglund of the Toronto Globe and Mail, in 1962. "Mr. Brodie is a musician of considerable merit, a master of the saxophone," noted the Toronto Telegram. "A finness of phrasing, lightness and fluency of line, a limpid meditation of vast delight. The tone rippled and flowed, soared and floated like a well trained human voice," wrote Ray Maley, of the Winnipeg Tribune. "His recital was one of the most unusual to be heard here for some time. It was also one of the most satisfying." Jamie Portman, of the Regina Leader Post.
I could include another thousand similar reviews, of Paul Brodie's work in the music profession. From what I know of Paul, if all the accolades went to his head, no one who knew him, saw anything of the "big-headed" syndrome. He was proud of his accomplishments, in reflection, but he was remarkably generous with credits, to everyone on earth, who had contributed something, however small, to the advancement of his career, from his first days as in a Regina Lion's Junior Marching Band, in Saskatchewan, to the concert in Port Carling, in 2001, with pianist Robert Kortgaard. He wanted to bestow the same kindnesses on underlings, students and young musicians, as he had benefitted as a youngster himself, growing up in Western Canada. There is considerable evidence of his reverence and appreciation for those early instructors, he had in school, and in private lessons, and then in university and mentorship thereafter. His biography is full of these references, and it's obvious, he knew just how many people it took, to polish his professional career. There is no tone of "self made" arrogance, or "I did it my way," bravado, despite the fact, according to his biography, he was headed to the stage no matter what; maybe as a singer, possibly as a dancer, or actor. The die was cast very early in life, for Paul Brodie, and it was all by choice. He had supportive parents, and he was quick to muster friends and colleagues, which made him a popular fellow, especially in the budding music community, that he kept expanding as his prowess with the saxophone increased. If his credits and reviews, make him look self-absorbed, well, that's what biographies do, afterall. The reader wants to know this information, to compare it to other biographies, and to other musicians they've known or read about.
I have read three quarters of the book in only a day. I find it a fascinating re-telling of his life's story, and truly inspiring, as far as dedication goes. It's a model, you see, to show how anyone, with ambition, can succeed. You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on self-help courses, and motivational lectures, to learn the simple process of "believing in yourself." I'm not one of those subscribers, or country philosophers, who would ever write, "You can succeed at anything you put your mind to in this life." I'm sorry, but even the good Mr. Brodie, would have had to put his arm around my shoulder, and beg me, to stop playing the saxophone. But at the same time, he would have suggested I follow my passion, in other situations that were important in my life, and as he knew my position with Muskoka Publications, would have said, "be the best writer you can, and I'll be the best saxophone player, I can be." We would have smiled at one another, grasped each other's hand, with a solid shake, and sat a few moments longer, overlooking the picturesque Moon River, from his cottage property in Bala. He might have played a few tunes for me, while we lounged in paradise, and I would have made copious notes, for a story just like this one, for The Muskoka Sun.
There was no mistaking the fact, Paul was passionate about his music. There was also no mistake, that his greatest joy, was to look out on the young audience of a school assembly, and see spellbound students, who he had fascinated with the sounds, he could make on his alto saxophone. These young folk, you see, were the future to him; and maybe he saw himself in retrospective, sitting amongst them, as a young musician "hopeful," looking for someone to give him a hand up. His visits to schools in Muskoka did have an impact. Maybe he didn't always get the impression, his demonstration of instruments, hit the mark with the audience, but I only have to chat with my sons, Andrew and Robert, to know for sure. They, you see, had the benefit of a Paul Brodie musical tutorial, while students at Gravenhurst Public School. Both boys of course, graduated high school, and immediately opened up their vintage music shop, here on the main street of Gravenhurst. That was eleven years ago. Did Paul Brodie have an influence? He was one of many mentors, who showed them that they could imbed in the music profession, and with hard work, and immense patience to improve their capabilities, prosper and succeed; and have a life, actually looking forward, to going to work every morning.
THE MUSKOKA RESPITE IN THE VILLAGE OF BALA
"The summer before Claire (Rima and Paul's daughter) was born, Rima and I rented a cottage for two months, in the Muskoka region of Ontario," wrote Paul, in his biography, under the chapter heading, "1970's Adventures." "I was completely unfamiliar with nature and cottage living because I had previously spent my summers going to university or being a practice room freak. However, it didn't take me very long to learn to enjoy basking in the sun, walking in the woods, and floating on a lake for weeks on end, with no real concerns about making a living, career promotion or the real world, but only being peaceful and gentle.
"About two years later, we discovered the town of Bala and for several summers, we rented a cottage on the Moon River, which links Lake Muskoka to Georgian Bay. One day, while Claire and Rima were having a swim, I called Tom Edwards, a real estate agent in Bala, and asked him if there were any properties for sale on the Moon River. He said, 'A lovely place was just listed yesterday, but it would require a large downpayment, because the owners have to move to Vancouver quickly, and they need funds to buy a home.' I asked if we could at least see the cottage and he said we should meet him in about ten minutes. Rima and Claire got out of the water, and with towels wrapped around their wet bathing suits, we got into our car and drove to meet Mr. Edwards.
"The moment we arrived and looked at the beauty of the land, with its moss covered forest floor, tall pines, rugged granite rocks and lovely pine cottage, with natural stone fireplace, directly facing the river, we were hooked. Rima and I gazed into each other's eyes and realized that this was heaven on earth to us, and we were head over heels in love with this place. We signed an offer in Tom Edward's office about half an hour later, and it was accepted almost immediately. Then Rima and I had to start to round up money, for the downpayment, because we were still paying off the mortgage on our home in Toronto. So, we made a couple of quick telephone calls to our parents and they came through with flying colours, giving us interest free loans to help us out. In the summer thousands of cottagers throng to Muskoka from all over the world, to enjoy this unique part of Canada. This is the time we particularly love to paddle our canoe, sail our dingy, float in our inner tubes, and walk to town, where we relax in a variety of coffee shops and restaurants, and chat with pleasant folks that we have come to know over the years. In the winter, Bala has only about four hundred residents. Except for the bare necessities, the town shuts down as tight as a drum. Our country road through the forest becomes a snow-covered winter wonderland, and unlike the summer, we have all this beauty to ourselves."
In the "Finale" of Paul's biography, he writes, "Since 1972 Rima and I have been spending summers, and any free time we could manage, at our cottage in Bala. At first, we would escape to our Shangri-La just for Saturdays and Sundays, whenever possible, then that grew very gradually over the years to three or four day weekends, until July 1998, we became full time residents of Muskoka. When we left Toronto, it wasn't as if we tore up our roots and moved to another country, or thousands of miles away to British Columbia, but it was simply a continuation of the pattern we established when we bought our cottage many hears ago. Everything about Bala is familiar to us, and Moon River has long become our refuge and source of rejuvenation. It is only a two hour drive to Toronto, so we can go in whenever we want to."
He concludes by noting, "I'm still performing school concerts, clinics and doing some recitals, and I like practicing every day, just for the fun of it. Bala is the place where Rima and I have always done our best creative and artistic work. We now have the luxury of being able to spend even more time together than before. She (Rima) has been such a great help as the editor and designer of this autobiography. Who else could have done as well...after all, she's the one who has been there!"
A beautiful ending, to a wonderful story. If your curiosity is peaked, we have his biography in stock.
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