Minister Farrakhan and the Beethoven Concerto

In the pre-interview with ‘…an Indonesian classical violinist and pianist’ referred to as ‘…one of the rare classical…multi-instrumentalist’, [1]Ayke Agus, tell of how working for Minister Farrakhan came at a price. With a cross of Jesus Christ brandished across her wall, she told of how she lost both opportunities and friends during the months that lead to his performance at the 250th anniversary of Ludwig Beethoven. To think that as an Indonesian woman there’d be those who’d penalize her for teaching Minister Farrakhan is both concerning and disheartening. I wondered did they banish her because he practices Islam, is the leader of the Nation of Islam, or because he is a Black man? But that’s not why I’m writing today.

I’m writing because as I watched Minister Farrakhan perform, I sat in amazement. There he stood regally, playing the Stradivarius on his 88th birthday and all I could think was, “Look at God!” But then I wondered, his god or mine?

As he continued to play, I couldn’t help but smile and think of how beautifully he plays and how what he played had to come from within. But then I remembered Mrs. Agus say that “the sound that comes out of your instrument is the mirror of your soul”, to which she only heard, “love and the truth.” But as I continued to stare, I wondered which God put it there?

The fact that he was playing the Cello Sonata No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 63, Allegro, in D Major, Larghetto and Rondo, Allegro which are considered the most difficult pieces of music for any professional musician to learn, and yet, there Minister Farrakhan stood, playing the concerto effortlessly, skillfully, beautifully, while standing so regally, and again I wondered who gave him that gift?