Wigmore Hall

Last night I was invited to a recital at Wigmore Hall by the violinist James Ehnes and the pianist Andrew Armstrong. They played 4 violin sonatas by Robert Schumann, Maurice Ravel, Johannes Brahms and John Conigliano.

The Wigmore Hall with its excellent acoustics is a celebrated venue for chamber music. I also liked its intimacy.

Seated at the front and to the left of the stage we could appreciate the hand movements of the pianist and the energy and craft of the violinist. I always enjoys classical music concert as an opportunity for reflection.

Sometimes I will drift away from the music to my thoughts. Were you to do this in a play you would lose the plot.

The only piece I did not enjoy was that by the American composer John Corigliano.

It lacked the melody of the Ravel composed in 1927 and so evocative of that rich artistic period of the Paris of Picasso, Diaghilev, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and Jean Cocteau, and the intricate and subtle melodies of Schumann and Brahms.

For the encore the two played three pieces, the most memorable being Perseus by Jean Sibelius.

My only critique of the Wigmore Hall was a thin programme costing £3. This was 10 pages with a short description of each piece but principally adverts. However if it supports the Wigmore Hall I will not complain too much.

I had not seen my friend for sometime and as he had treated me for the the tickets I bought him dinner at Fischers the Austrian Restaurant nearby which I know our Daffers likes and I can see why.