
photo by my Chandra
The other day I attended a ‘Music in the Morning’ concert featuring pianist Pedja Muzijevic, which was not only enjoyable but, for me, particularly interesting. Am I capable of judging the artist’s talent? Of course not. I certainly enjoyed the performance and felt it worth braving the rain and windstorm that chose to hit our city that day.
Said storm created floods and hazards and made it difficult for me to obtain cabs and I got soaked. (We are, after all, located in a rain forest.)

Pianist Pedja Muzijevic
On the program was Robert Schumann’s Carnaval, Op. 9.

Clara Schumann, (1819-1896)

Robert Schumann, (1810-1856)
In introducing this selection, Muzijevic said something about Schumann which I’ve been thinking about ever since: ‘Schumann, being mentally ill, wrote music without boundaries.‘
(Schumann’s wife, Clara, was also a gifted composer and musician and deserves mention here.)
This was the first time in many, many years since I’d heard something like that. Way back in my 30s, when I still hoped to someday write the ‘great American novel’, my husband and I had a friend who was a psychiatrist. One evening when he and his wife came over for dinner, he told me I would never be a great writer because — I was too sane!

Dinner conversation years ago
He went on to say he had some patients who were very successful authors, who were able to write things ‘normal’ people can’t. People who are sane, he continued, have something like a protective fence around their brains and they tend to stay within those perimeters. People who are not sane don’t have that barrier. This makes it possible for them to follow ideas outside where you would not dare go.
I’ve never forgotten that evening so long ago and the interesting discussion we had over dinner. This week was the very first time since then I’d heard that same idea expressed. What do you think of it?
I guess it depends on how you define “sane.”
In any case, I don’t think that Updike or Roth were insane. And they were great.
Anyway, see ya–
Neil
Hi Neil: That was the only time I was accused of being sane. Actually, I think it was an insult. Chuckle. Cheers, Muriel
I think you can be sane and still be able to reach past conventional thinking and access atypical experience. It takes courage, will, an open mind and a strong imagination, but I do not believe it requires insanity. Perhaps so many of our great artists have been insane simply because sane people are too sensible to want to suffer the life of an artist! But Maughm, really — if YOU of all people are claiming to be sane, you are clearly not in touch with reality and are therefore doubly nuts! Remember…I KNOW you! : )
Frankly Susan: I felt somewhat insulted when the man suggested I WAS sane. I work hard at being me. As usual, you gave me a good chuckle. Love ya lots.
Sanity is a legal term, not a psychological definition. The DSM (Diagnostic something-or-other Manual) which I encountered years ago in 1st year psych doesn’t define
sanity.
If it doesn’t define it Carol: Perhaps it is because it is not actually definable. Goodness knows… Have a happy holiday Carol. Hope to see you soon. Cheers, Muriel