Olga Rudge & Ezra Pound: "What Thou Lovest Well..."

6
The Hidden Nest
70
1927–1928
‘‘The house that changed my life’’
Ezra was not in Budapest for Olga’s January 28 concert at the Music
Academy with Antheil and Kosa Gyorgy. An early press notice announced
the event, but ‘‘what sort of reception the temperamental Budapesters
gave them has not yet been told.’’ Ezra sent a telegram of auguri (congratulations)
to the Hotel Bellevue and wrote to Sisley Huddleston, the Paris
critic: ‘‘I learned from collateral evidence that OR played exceedingly well
(3rd and 1st violin sonatas), and that M. Antheil tried out a new piano
concerto’’—which caused another riot. Pound believed in ‘‘big drum’’ to
publicize the concerts, and Olga’s conservative approach brought this
outburst: ‘‘god, christ and the buggerin’ virgin—what the hell do
you mean by sending me only one program? . . . in the early stages of a
career the utility of performance is . . . enhanced by allowing the fact to
leak out—damn the expentz!’’
Olga stopped writing for several weeks, and Ezra attempted to woo her
back with a Valentine that arrived with apologies—too late. She was
preparing for another concert at the Sala Capizucchi in Rome on February
19 and was not sure if young ‘‘Jawg,’’ on the eve of departure for America,
would appear.