A bright, pleasant evening, but quiet in the station so I was able to get served by a person. Onto the train to be entertained by a youngish man, say around 30, with full beard and moustache which were clearly the subject of prolonged grooming, every day I should imagine. A regular Poirot type. But the formal facial hair was contrasted with relaxed sports wear, with suit on a hanger aside.
On into Cavendish Square for a pigeon free picnic.
On into the Cock & Lion, where I was pleased to find that they sold Chablis and Sancerre by the glass. I opted for the latter. Mild enough to be able to sit outside, away from the loud televisions. Together with someone smoking genuine Camel cigarettes. Can one still buy such things from Davidoff's in St. James's Street? The people who used to do jolly good own brand cigars?
Wigmore Hall pretty full, with the occasion being recorded for Radio 3, although I was pleased to find that, half a dozen pendant microphones apart, the Radio 3 people kept themselves out of the way, unlike at St. Luke's where one has rather too much of a good thing. No microphones in the piano on this occasion, something one does see from time to time.
Audience and clapping management spot on. Clapping at the end of each half. Decent pause between pieces.
Concert also spot on. Two impromptus (D.899 No.1 and D.935 No.2). Some musical moments by way of higher grade stocking filler. Late sonata (D.958). As good as it gets - with the sonata probably helped along by my knowing it quite well now. So a puzzle why there was some audience leakage at half time.
While I made a return visit to the Cock & Lion for a spot of Black Label. Where I learned that the barman had been doing twelve hour shifts for a week and it was not impossible that he would be doing some more the week following. Not yet known as the new roster had not emerged from management. I was reminded that after a longish spell of that sort of thing in my youth, I wound up with a bout of glandular fever.
Out to admire rotating laser lights in the sky, just to the Hyde Park side of John Lewis - where the canopy refurbishment was complete, no bat facilities visible. See, for example, reference 2.
There had been some talk behind me from some young cognoscenti about Forte Pianos, something which subsequent investigation shows that Staier is clearly into. But the one on the platform said Steinway, despite having what I thought was a slightly harsh tone, a tone which I thought suited the occasion well. And there was nothing in the programme and nothing yet in replay to my query to the box office.
Reference 1: https://pumpkinstrokemarrow.blogspot.com/search?q=leaking+staier.
Reference 2: https://psmv3.blogspot.com/2018/04/bats.html.
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