I changed my clothes and went to play my Concerto to Aslanov. I am not convinced that he understood the music, but he said that it was not a difficult work to conduct, and generally took a favourable attitude to it. 'But oh! what a pianist we've lost in you!' he cried.

I asked why he would say that. Either I play well, in which case the world has not lost a pianist; or I don't, when it follows that I am not a good pianist hence there is no loss to regret. He explained that what he meant was, I am so burdened with my composing and conducting activities I do not have the time to perfect my keyboard technique, and as a result my capabilities as a pianist suffer from being unsufficiently cultivated.