String Quartet Concert & other lofty pursuits
Last night we went to see the Endellion String Quartet at the Wigmore Hall. A transcription by Beethoven of one of his piano sonatas, the first of the Brahms string quartets, and finally, the first of Beethovens late quartets.
I really like Wigmore Hall, it's got good acoustics, and it's lovely inside with murals and plush red velvet seats. The quartet, I gather from reading all the literature, is a bit of a big deal. Anyway, I bought the tickets because I realized I don't think I've ever been to see an entire string quartet concert, and I adore the sound. I also love Brahms.
The most striking aspect of their performance was the dynamics. You can really get a lot of sound from four strings, when not playing background music for a wedding reception. I have to admit, the Brahms was a bit dense for me, and I didn't really understand it. And I also didn't really enjoy the first movement of the Beethoven transcription, mostly because it sounded like the allegro from every bloody sonata I was forced to hack my way through for years. The slower movement was beautiful, though. The last piece, however, was the show-stopper. Pretty much the reason one wants to see a string quartet perform. Quite a civilized evening, and at reasonable ticket prices it's something we shall do again.
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So it seems in my line of obsessions I can't afford, I've moved on to wine. Oo... I still need to post of my suit. ANYWAY, if I thought I couldn't afford bespoke men's tailoring, I really can't afford an extensive wine cellar. Oh, but I want one! Currently, I'm thinking of either starting a modest wine fund, or agreeing to a direct debit cellar plan with one of the fine wine merchants. Unfortunately, not only is money an issue, but also space. Still, it ticks all the boxes for me, wine collecting does. I wonder how long this fancy will last....
I really like Wigmore Hall, it's got good acoustics, and it's lovely inside with murals and plush red velvet seats. The quartet, I gather from reading all the literature, is a bit of a big deal. Anyway, I bought the tickets because I realized I don't think I've ever been to see an entire string quartet concert, and I adore the sound. I also love Brahms.
The most striking aspect of their performance was the dynamics. You can really get a lot of sound from four strings, when not playing background music for a wedding reception. I have to admit, the Brahms was a bit dense for me, and I didn't really understand it. And I also didn't really enjoy the first movement of the Beethoven transcription, mostly because it sounded like the allegro from every bloody sonata I was forced to hack my way through for years. The slower movement was beautiful, though. The last piece, however, was the show-stopper. Pretty much the reason one wants to see a string quartet perform. Quite a civilized evening, and at reasonable ticket prices it's something we shall do again.
--
So it seems in my line of obsessions I can't afford, I've moved on to wine. Oo... I still need to post of my suit. ANYWAY, if I thought I couldn't afford bespoke men's tailoring, I really can't afford an extensive wine cellar. Oh, but I want one! Currently, I'm thinking of either starting a modest wine fund, or agreeing to a direct debit cellar plan with one of the fine wine merchants. Unfortunately, not only is money an issue, but also space. Still, it ticks all the boxes for me, wine collecting does. I wonder how long this fancy will last....