pumpkinstrokemarrow

Needed a break after that lot, so went out to inspect the signs of spring. So in the back garden, in pond No. 1 the sedge grass is starting to sprout after its autumn haircut. In pond No. 2 the marsh marigolds are in flower. And in pond No. 3 the first water lilly leaf has surfaced after the lowering ceremony of January 22nd last. Further down we now have some celandine flowers. Not a mass, but some and it looks likely that there will be more. And in the wide world the dandelions are beginning to flower. Again, not a mass, but some. And I am sure there will be more: the mowing contractors don't get to all the places that dandelions do. Some daisies to be seen. Groundsel in bud. The spring sunshine had brought all the thirty somethings out to West Ewell's two caffs for their Sunday morning frappés over the 'Mail on Sunday'. Some outside, fagging. Very Belsize Park. So all in all, things are looking up.

Later in the day off to the Wigmore to hear a one man band going under the name of Emanuel Ax, a popular event as we were reduced to returns. But keyboard side seats in row eye did very nicely and my view was improved by the seat in front of me being vacant. But diminished by one male in the front of me to the left spending the first half of the concert audibly and visibly reading the programme and one female to the right spending the second half fidgeting. Almost to the point where one tapped them on the shoulder. Both north Americans and one wondered why on earth they were there. But to be fair, most of the more or less full house was very enthusiastic. As loud in their appreciation as I think I have heard there. And someone gave him a bottle of champagne which gave rise to the mercenary thought that his purse would probably buy getting on for 1,000 such bottles. Then that Pollini plays to a full RFH which is maybe five times the size and where tickets were half as much again. Which probably explains why the Ax purse was made up by an anonymous contribution. But nice to hear first class piano in a chamber concert hall for once, rather than in a symphony concert hall.

A Schubert concert, which he started off with the D935 impromptus, this being the main reason why we were there, having taken a fancy to impromptus ever since we hear Imogen Cooper do the other ones, D899, in what turns out to be well over a year now. So time continues to fly. See December 9th 2009. He then moved through the calming D664 sonata onto the grand D960 one. Somewhat overwhelmed by the whole business, reduced to getting a taxi back to Victoria Station. This morning's consolation will be to hear both sets interpreted by Barenboim for Deutsche Grammaphon, courtesy of a second hand vinyl shop in Notting Hill shortly before 11th February last year. Search button working well today. Another advantage of blog over pen.