Saturday 26th September 2009

This was a very very special day for the ears!

It started normally enough with:
Beethoven - Triple Concerto
Brahms - Double Concerto
Schumann - Piano Concerto
Grieg - Piano Concerto
Handel - Fireworks Music and Water Music

Intermediate comment: Hadn't heard the Schumann for years, which I now realise was because the tape is missing (unfindable even after a lengthy search - if you see it, it has a red spine and the Grieg on the other side, do let me know). Spotify to the rescue. VERY VERY nostalgic.

Then, prompted by a tweet from @iamamro:
Bach - Christmas Oratorio, Parts 1-3

Out of season, very unusual choice for September, but the tweet meant that I had to do it.

Then, in the car:
Blur - Midlife (end of)
Muse - Black Holes & Revelations (about half of)

And then the real treat of the day, James Rhodes, live at the Tabernacle in Notting Hill.
Marcello arr. JSB - Adagio from Oboe Concerto in D Minor
Beethoven - Sonata No.30 Op.109
Moszkowski - Etincelles
Blumenfeld - Etude pour la main gauche seule
Chopin - Polonaise-Fantasie Op.61
Chopin - Etude Op.25/12
Chopin - Ballade No.4 Op.52
And then (if my memory serves me correctly):
Chopin - 2 songs, sung by Natalia Romaniw
Bellini - from La Somnambula, again sung by Natalia Romaniw
Chopin - Last mvmt from Sonata No.3
Chopin - Prelude Op.28/4 (may have been before Sonata).
Groovy version of "alla turca" rondo

I've spent the last 3 days trying to think of something to say about such an amazing gig, and have so far failed. I may think of words later. I'll keep you posted.

On the way home in the car, I couldn't go back to Muse, yet couldn't cope with silence while trying to stay awake on the M40, so we had:
Beethoven - Piano Sonatas Opp81a-109 (quite softly).