A record of wanderings
Our annual experience with the classic event at a classic venue.
We sat in better seats this time, closer to the action on the central area.
The choir was powerful and the philharmonic was classy. The performers all seemed to warm up in the second half.
Another positive experience. Here’s to more in the future.
In my mind there was always the memory that my first visit to watch a professional football match was at Griffin Park to watch the Brentford, the Super Bees, was against Crewe Alexandra with a result of 1-0. I went with Patrick who was a Brentford regular and at that stage of course a shareholder of one share following the rescue of the club in 1967.
I did some research, the wonders of stuff online, and found the result of 1-0 against Crewe. So it was the 71/72 season on December 27- so clearly the equivalent of the Boxing Day game.
and clearly a successful season with promotion. Though looking through the results they bounced down within one season back to Division 4.
So memory not all bad. First game at Griffin Park aged 8.
And now we are in the final season at Griffin Park, I am in year 2 as a season ticket holder and the move to Lionel Road is imminent.
The last night before the last night of the Proms. A Beethoven evening including the very recognisable #5.
I had the pleasure of going with Joe as Shaz was too busy. We managed to have a pint in South Kensington beforehand and watch the last 20 minutes of the Ashes with the beginning of England’s second innings.
And the music? Good, though as before, when the singers were on we were in some cheap seats to which the voice projection was not so good.
But good fun all the same, very recognisable intro to #5 of course and other sections. The crowd loved it all so much that the orchestra played an encore. Not typical of my experience. Joe seemed to enjoy the evening too- so a win-win.
Until the next time.
EQ is visiting and so she came with me to the Royal Albert Hall for our first visit to the Proms in 2019.
Prom 39: Elgar, Errollyn Wallen, Mendelssohn & Mussorgsky19:00 Thu 15 Aug 2019 Royal Albert HallThe sea rolls through both Mendelssohn’s overture The Hebrides and Elgar’s sumptuous orchestral song-cycle Sea Pictures. Mussorgsky’s colourful Pictures at an Exhibition and a world premiere by Errollyn Wallen complete the programme.
We were up in the gods and as a result quite warm. We managed to arrive with minutes to spare. The seats were not he best as we were adjacent to the stage and as a result the signing in particular was not well heard as I think the sound was projected forward and upwards both naturally and with the speakers rather than to the side.
As a result the Elgar pieces did not do it for me. The new piece was was a little wacky, different but not great. I found the Mussorgsky really good, worth another listen. Similar responses from EQ.
The hall was packed. Clearly the Proms remains popular.
For the first time I watched the Boat Race from the banks of the Thames. Never been that interested- rowing for one and Oxbridge for the other. But as we still live by the Thames it had to be a good idea to go.
I do like the sporting prowess of the people who compete in these sort of things and we did have a bit of buy-in as we had seen the crews training in he last couple of months along by Putney Bridge and outside our window.
However it was all celebrity rower and not a concentration of the teams in the end.
A grown up family event, though by rights one should be taking children to Panto. I am not sure that Joe still counts. However there were plenty of other ‘unaccompanied adults’.
Shaz enjoyed the event with her shouting at the stage, hissing the baddy and clapping along.
It was all very traditional and fun, just as was expected. Paul Merton was very good both in his portrayal of Widow Twanky and his ability to ad-lib in general.
As ever Shazz is hooked.
A trip to see the classic play in the flesh.
This was a you persons twist on the play with more young actors plus the use of woman to play male characters.
I found the words hard to follow at times which I take as typical- it is after all a different version of English. However a review does promote the energy of youth but complain of the lack of clarity in the spoken word. I am not sure what the change in gender of roles was set to achieve other than balancing of opportunity.
I good night out which Shaz enjoyed a lot a little to her surprise.
Not a cheap way to spend an evening but we will keep in mind again for the future.
Another performance of the Messiah and this time back to the original venue. Is it fifteen or more times now?: from the small churches to the international venues.
The chorus comprised 130 people this time and it showed. The volume overall was impressive and as Shazz noted, the balance was better between male and female voices. More man with a better balance and power.
The soloists dod well with projecting in such as venue which maybe was helped for us being in seas quite low down though not the stalls.
I really enjoyed the experience and would probably rate it as number 1 in the hit parade of Messiah performances. Maybe we will have the opportunity of listening to the Huddersfield Chorus again sometime.
Thursday night after work and we were at Westminster Cathedral; the Catholic version.
Shazz wanted to go to a big carols event and the evening here was available. It was a paid event but full all the same. I suppose used to help with the upkeep of the building and support the musical infrastructure: choir, musical directors and I assume and organ that is not cheap to keep in ideal condition.
The evening was a combination of music and readings. The latter delivered by a variety of well known individuals.
There were German language carols and traditional English language ones. Maria wiegenlied was beautiful whereas the arrangement for Wachet auf did not seem to work so well for me. Sometimes the choir was difficult to appreciate. O come all ye faithful and Hark! the herald angels sing were winners as to be expected.
I loved the John Betjeman poem ‘The Advent wind begins to stir’ which was read by one of EQ’s favourite actors.
Keep the music flowing!
A overcast day and disappointing game against the Swans.
Brentford played poorly and offered little to give confidence. Not helped by letting in a goal within 20 seconds. 3-nil down within 20 something minutes and a crowd that could not find more than a whisper.
There was murmuring everywhere with the typical reaction to sack the manager. I am not sure of the necessary response but his hold on employment does look precarious.