In the morning Zakharov rang up asking me to accompany him in Rachmaninov's Second Concerto, which he is to play in Pavlovsk on the 25th. I was amazed to find that he had still not managed to learn another concerto  but five years on was still playing the same old Rachmaninov. All the same, the work itself is enchanting. I agreed readily and at three o'clock was at Shreders. To my astonishment Zakharov's playing has improved out of all recognition: in place of its former artificiality and affectation it now has a genuine softness and intimacy. I congratulated him on the successful transformation and this seemed to give him real pleasure.