Beethoven in a Basketball Court

For those of you who read my little contributions, I am sure that you know that much, if not most of what I write is about subjects from without, rather than material about myself.
However, you will have noticed that this week I wrote about a strange incident concerning ducks that I was a witness to, followed yesterday about my experiences with the great pianist Jose Iturbi.
And so I thought that I should continue relating to you for a short period some other experiences in my life which may be worth reading about. I promise that I will do this for a mercifully brief period:
This incident occurred many years ago, shortly after returning from my German tour and the beginning of my teaching career.
I had two great friends, both old enough to be my parents; both of whom had escaped the annexation of Austria by Hitler. They became successful here in America, and were very active patrons of the arts.
One day Hans came to me and produced two tickets to a recital, inviting my wife and me to accompany him and his wife. I noticed that the tickets did not contain place or artist, and asked Hans if he thought all this would be worthwhile. Well, he twinkled and assured me that I would indeed enjoy myself.
And so, with Hans driving his old Mercedes, the four of us went not into an urban area, but out into the suburbs, ending up at a high school I was familiar with.
As we walked into the building, I thought to myself that this would probably be a concert of music played by a bunch of high-schoolers , with one of the families having given Hans these tickets.
We did not go into the main building, but into the sports complex which housed a basketball court containing about one hundred wooden folding chairs. I could not understand why the seats that came out of the walls forming grandstands were not utilized.
On one end of the court stood a magnificent Steinway grand piano, which perked my ears up. Will we hear a budding young pianist premiering his career, or what??
After all were seated, a tall, lean figure briskly strode through a door and moved toward the piano. I went into instant shock, for that figure was one of the giants of our time; a direct link to the Golden Age of the piano, and one of those three giants known for that historic approach to the keyboard - Vladimir Horowitz, Claudio Arrau, and in front of me-Rudolf Serkin.
He smiled broadly, as he almost always did, bowed deeply, and began his recital.
There was no printed program. Serkin himself announced each piece before playing.
As the sounds filled the room, I found myself gazing out at this bizarre scene, finally looking upward, and discovering that I was sitting almost directly under a basket, probably having been attacked by a high school athlete that very afternoon! It was an experience I shall never forget. We still talk about it from time to time even these days.
He played Schubert and Beethoven, some of this music having been performed by him the night before at Symphony Hall in Boston - I had been there!!
How did this all happen?
I found out from a gloating Hans, after the recital, that Serkin had simply repaid a favor to a friend who happened to live in this particular community, only on condition that each ticket would be given to friends of Serkin's friend, and that there be no charge.
I never did discover what that repaid favor was all about, but it must have been a Brobdingnagian favor, at the very least!
A recital like no other.