I went along to a wedding last night. Well that’s not quite true; I actually attended my first ever Classical Music Concert with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales playing amongst other things Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto.
My take on the pre-concert talk was that musical interpretation is an individual thing that is wholly dependent upon the listener making up his or her mind. The accomplished speaker explained amongst many other things that there are no right or wrongs, and you clap or otherwise express yourself whenever and however you wish. Now that’s all well and good but I didn’t want to get duffed-up by the other 498 serious music goers or in this case the Wedding Party.
I know that it was a Wedding as the gifted soloist Vilde Frang played the part of the Bride extremely well indeed. The emotion, the centre stage presence and when she played, oh when she played, it was pure bliss. I also know that one of the First Violins was the Groom. How do I know this you ask? Simply because we all know that the Groom arrives at the Church before the Bride and struts around while everyone else looks on.
Now I am not quite sure if Jac van Steen was the Vicar or the Father of the Bride. In the end I opted for the latter as van Steen guided everyone accurately through the event and often looked on as the proud father. Indeed the relationship between van Steen and Vilde appeared to be intense.
I also know that in ‘Love Actually’ speak; the Second Lobsters were the bridesmaids. “The Second Lobsters?” I hear you say. Well yes, these were the two Violinists thrown to the extremes of the venue to make way for the Bride and the others as and when the Bride entered the Church.
Now Matthew Hardy on Timpani was without any doubt whatsoever the DJ at the after service party. Matthew changed his sticks as frequently as records and like all good DJ’s; although the music was glorious you never knew that he was there. But when he had something to say, then it was something truly worth listening to.
The Double Basses played by Dominic Worsley, Albert Dennis, Christopher Wescott, Tim Older, Claire Whitson-Dibble, and Richard Gibbons were the waiters. Each and every course served up on time and as one. “Who?” you ask then, was the Best Man. Well that had to be Donal Bannister on Bass Trombone. Anyone as nice as this, able to give such a good pre-concert talk and still manage to deliver his 34 notes on time and without drama, deserves without any doubt whatsoever to be the Best Man. So what about the Church Choir? Well that one is easy too. It was the eight Cellos’ played magnificently by John Senter et al. Who were the girl friends, who were the mates and what about the ushers? Well the girly girls were of course Eilidh and Sarah, they were definitely the friends of the Bride. Whereas Ian Fisher and gang all on Horns; would have been with the Groom. The Ushers were drawn from the Trumpet players and those who had mastered the Oboes.
It was a delightful Wedding, but alas like the best of weddings it all came too quickly to an end. Well done BBC NOW, it looks as if you have grabbed another convert.
Now hot on the Budget news we have to convince the Coalition Government that the ‘Arts’ is not an add on. It is not something to cut at a whim, as its importance extends beyond any single event or series of events. No indeed, classical music delivered by a fine orchestra is an essential part of who and what we are.
Music like Maths is the centre of everything and it is undoubtedly what we need in order to flourish. So when you are popping notes into that Red Box next time Mr Chancellor; please have the common sense to support music and help make this Country a better place and the lives of its taxpaying residents more fulfilled.
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