As one gets closer to the end of the 19th century, it seems that composers tended to write symphonies that, for me at least, become too long to listen to in one go! My recent ‘discovery’ of Bruckner’s 0 and first symphonies along with Dvorak’s later works and subsequent ‘re-writes’ are about as far into this period as I will go for now. Therefore I find myself ‘going back’ to Robert Schumann and his first two symphonies from the 1840s. These, like my original favourites from Beethoven that came before this period, last not much more than half an hour unlike some of the later Bruckner (Mahler, and others…) which go over the one hour mark. I also find myself enjoying particular movements of the symphonies that I have, like the many third (or sometimes second) movement Scherzos that became popular during this time.
Yesterday saw me in Marylebone Village again and spending time in my current fav. coffee shop (Workshop, Wigmore St.) and, of course, (Hi Fi) Richard’s Hi Fi ‘emporium’ in New Cavendish Street. In spite of the rain that came later in the day - which made for a rather damp journey home - a good time was had with pizza being eaten in the Baker Street Pizza Express. While not exactly the best pizza (either from Baker St. or elsewhere) this more than made up for the ‘missing’ trip that should have been made toward the end of June As always, even with the assurance of “…no, we are not that busy…” there was good number of patrons, which caused the service to be a little slower than is often the case in the more quiet and, for me, preferable PE restaurants.
Next Sunday (4th Aug.) sees me in church to play along with the usual Offertory and Recessional hymns. In this case, they will be “Be thou my vision…” (tune Slane) and “Alleluya, Alleluya, hearts to heaven…” (tune Lux Eoi). I also hope to get in a bit of time with Karl the organist with a view to eventually playing a Samuel Long voluntary that was (apparently) posthumously published in 1770, by his wife. Other voluntaries are being attempted...
Too long, the symphony...
As one gets closer to the end of the 19th century, it seems that composers tended to write symphonies that, for me at least, become too long to listen to in one go! My recent ‘discovery’ of Bruckner’s 0 and first symphonies along with Dvorak’s later works and subsequent ‘re-writes’ are about as far into this period as I will go for now. Therefore I find myself ‘going back’ to Robert Schumann and his first two symphonies from the 1840s. These, like my original favourites from Beethoven that came before this period, last not much more than half an hour unlike some of the later Bruckner (Mahler, and others…) which go over the one hour mark
. I also find myself enjoying particular movements of the symphonies that I have, like the many third (or sometimes second) movement Scherzos that became popular during this time.
Yesterday saw me in Marylebone Village again and spending time in my current fav. coffee shop (Workshop, Wigmore St.) and, of course, (Hi Fi) Richard’s Hi Fi ‘emporium’ in New Cavendish Street. In spite of the rain that came later in the day - which made for a rather damp journey home - a good time was had with pizza being eaten in the Baker Street Pizza Express. While not exactly the best pizza (either from Baker St. or elsewhere) this more than made up for the ‘missing’ trip that should have been made toward the end of June
As always, even with the assurance of “…no, we are not that busy…” there was good number of patrons, which caused the service to be a little slower than is often the case in the more quiet and, for me, preferable PE restaurants.
Next Sunday (4th Aug.) sees me in church to play along with the usual Offertory and Recessional hymns. In this case, they will be “Be thou my vision…” (tune Slane) and “Alleluya, Alleluya, hearts to heaven…” (tune Lux Eoi). I also hope to get in a bit of time with Karl the organist with a view to eventually playing a Samuel Long voluntary that was (apparently) posthumously published in 1770, by his wife. Other voluntaries are being attempted...