The invitation from US Ambassador Harry Thomas, Jr. was a total surprise. It was for a get-together with him and pianist Lorenzo B. Medel. When Evelyn R. Garcia and I arrived at the embassy residence, Lorenzo, his brother Edward, parents Dr. Stephen and Dr. Ruth Medel and tutor Mauricia Borromeo were already in the living room. There were no other guests.
As our charming host joined us, a lively conversation ensued. We learned that he played the clarinet in his grade school band, that he has visited more provinces in the Philippines than states in America, and that he thinks our people the most musical in the world.
How did Mr. Thomas’ admiration for Lorenzo begin? Into only four months as ambassador here, he heard Lorenzo perform at a reception in honor of Earle Markey, SJ, of Massachusetts’ Holy Cross College of which Mr. Thomas is an alumnus — as also of Columbia U. Thereafter Mr. Thomas avidly showed off Lorenzo to guests at his socials. (Ms. Borromeo privately told me that the ambassador graciously allowed Lorenzo to take a lesson under her in his residence.)
As the conversation grew even more spirited, delicacies threatened to turn the occasion into a merienda rather than a musicale. But inevitably, Mr. Thomas asked Lorenzo to play.
Enzo began with Buencamino’s “Mayon Fantasia†which, depicting a quiet village fiesta, later turned into a devastating eruption of Mt. Mayon, finally reverting to the village celebration. Lorenzo’s masterful technique and sensitivity gave eloquent expression to the dramatically contrasting scenes. Santiago’s “Souvenir de Filipinas†pictured a languid, graceful, engaging, sentimental people through its exquisite lyricism.
Next came two Chopin Etudes — “Black Keys†and Winter Windâ€. The Etudes have doubtless enlarged and widened the range of piano technique, each designed to overcome a specific difficulty. Lorenzo showed total conversance with Chopin’s virtuosic and artistic demands; his chords were thunderous, his runs deft and swift; melodic lines, with their own distinctive merit, were beautifully etched.
Pedagogues aver that he who can play Chopin’s etudes can play anything in modern piano literature, this referring not merely to technique. Lorenzo played not only two etudes but also Chopin’s Scherzo in C Sharp Minor, and the similarly challenging Paganini-Liszt Etude with its breathtakingly swift staccatos and powerful chordal passages.
As for Liszt’s “La Campanella†(Etude No. 3 in G Sharp Minor), I already heard Ignaz Paderewski’s recording of it when I was still a very young girl. He must have been seventy then. And here was Lorenzo interpreting it at seventeen! I dare say he matched the rendition of the celebrated pianist, his notes tinkling like a bell, his fingers gliding over the keyboard with amazing dexterity — and ease.
Lovers would have enjoyed the finale, Liszt’s gushy “Liebestraum†(Dream of Love).
The recital was a spontaneous one; Dr. Medel said he was nervous throughout because I was listening and his son had not rehearsed the random pieces for ages! Ambassador Thomas’ magnificent gesture that afternoon should serve as incentive and impetus to the Forbes tycoons to send substantial donations to Lorenzo through the La Salle brothers in Green Hills. Five of the most prestigious music institutions in the US have been so impressed with Lorenzo’s auditions that all have offered him scholarships, with one guaranteeing a year’s concert tour of France or Germany. But the scholarships do not cover board and lodging, books, insurance, medicare, etc.
To return to our genial, soon-to-depart host, Ambassador Thomas. He will be sorely missed. He remains humble and unassuming despite his many distinctions. Here are but a few.
He was special assistant to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. He has served in the US embassies of India and Peru among other countries. He was executive secretary of the US State Department and director of its Operations Center.
He has an honorary doctorate from Loyola U., Maryland, where he delivered the commencement address in May of 2010. Mr. Thomas speaks Spanish, Hindi, Bengali and a little Tagalog.
Mabuhay po kayo!