FOLKS, MY NEXT GUEST IS A GRAMMY AND EMMY AWARD-WINNING VIOLINIST
WHO PERFORMED AT AGE 13 ON THIS VERY STAGE 60 YEARS AGO TONIGHT.
PLEASE WELCOME, ITZHAK PERLMAN MAESTRO.
MAESTRO, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
( APPLAUSE )
>> NICE TO BE HERE.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: ALL RIGHT, SO
TONIGHT, TONIGHT IS THE 60th ANNIVERSARY OF YOUR APPEARANCE
ON THE "ED SULLIVAN SHOW" IN 1958.
WHAT-- WHAT DID THAT PERFORMANCE MEAN TO YOU AT AGE 13?
>> IT WAS VERY EXCITING.
I REMEMBER THE ORCHESTRA WAS SITTING RIGHT THERE.
AND I WAS DOING THE MENDELSON VIOLIN CONCERTO WITH TWO CELLOS,
TWO FIDDLES AND A BUNCH OF WINDS.
AND I'M TELLING YOU IT WAS OKAY.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: YOUR PERFORMANCE WAS OKAY?
>> WELL, I THINK I PLAYED ALL RIGHT.
BUT WHAT DID I KNOW?
I WAS 13.
I DIDN'T KNOW.
>> Stephen: WELL WHY DON'T WE-- WHY DON'T WE FIND OUT.
WE HAVE A CLIP HERE.
>> OH!
>> Stephen: THIS IS FROM THAT NIGHT 60 YEARS AGO.
JIM.
>> THIS LITTLE BOY HERE IS IZTKAH PERLMAN.
HE'S A VIOLIN VITUEOSEO OF GREAT MERIT.
AND I'M GOING TO HAVE HIM PLAY FOR YOU, AS HE PLAYED FOR US IN
ISRAEL.
ALL OF OUR GREAT-- WELL, YOU HEAR HIM.
ITZHAK.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> SHOWS WHAT PRACTICE DOES.
>> Stephen: EXACTLY.
DID YOU HAVE ANY NOTES FOR THE KIDS?
>> WHAT?
>> Stephen: ANY BOY, ANYTHING YOU WOULD TELL HIM TO CHANGE?
>> OH, HIM.
I HAVE TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT THIS.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: YOU ARE KNOWN FOR YOUR JOY, YOUR PERSONAL JOY,
YOUR JOY IN YOUR PERFORMANCE, BUT ALSO YOU EMBODY A GREAT
SENSE OF JOY.
HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN YOUR JOY I IN-- IN THESE TURB LEAPT TIMES
THAT ARE SO-- SO DIVISIVE AND ARE DARK FOR SO MANY PEOPLE?
>> WELL, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.
ESPECIALLY IN THE INCIDENT IN PITTSBURGH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE
HORRIBLE MASSACRE AT TREE OF LIFE SYNAGOGUE.
AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER AND YOU HAVE TO
HOPE BECAUSE ANTI-SEMITISM IS HERE.
AND WE SHOULDN'T THINK ABOUT IT AS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN
THE PAST.
IT'S HERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GET TOGETHER AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
AND MUSIC IS JUST SOMETHING THAT HELPS HEAL.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO DO.
I MEAN, IT'S TOUGH-- TIMES ARE TOUGH.
BUT WE HAVE MUSIC AT LEAST.
( APPLAUSE ).
>> Stephen: WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING FOR US TONIGHT?
>> TONIGHT I'LL PLAY A LITTLE PIECE BY VINYOVSKI, POLISH
VIOLINIST, SOMETHING FAST.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING SLOW.
IT'S A PIECE BY GERSHWIN.
>> Stephen: "SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME"?
>> I HOPE SO.
>> >> Stephen: I HOPE SO, TOO.
WE'LL BE BACK WITH A PERFORMANCE BY IZTKAH PERLMAN AND JON
BAPTISTE.
STICK AROUND.