Rochester?

I received an e-mail the other day just titled Rochester, I assumed it was something to do with the diocese, this is not unreasonable for me since I was on the Synod and am currently on the committee of the RSCM. I forgot that I also have a customer ( a Methodist Minister) who lives on Rochester Avenue, and it was about their garden.

Of course many people will think first of Mr Rochester the bigamist and love interest in Jane Eyre. I was put in mind of him earlier today listening to Woman's hour on BBC Radio four as they discussed suitable holiday reading, there was much discussion as to the character of Rochester, and Jane's suitability as a feminist icon. Personally I find the Brontes generallyhard work needing a bit more reader input than I am prepared to give.


Mrs T Herself

Next month I am playing in a last night of the proms style concert in Basingstoke, the music has just been sent through to me so I could have a look at it before actually having to play on the day. Even a quick glance immediately told me that I would be using my EEb, the register and the keys just scream EEb, on the CC every single piece would be bit harder, and on the BBb a lot harder. This means that at some point I will have to go up into the attic and get my trusty old customised Besson down. We have quite a small house so I only have the CC (which is in a very large case) and what ever other instrument is in use in the house, the others along with mutes and stuff live in the attic.

Over the last couple of years I have used the CC as my main instrument, but the EEb comes down quite often, when the parts are higher or more active. I have also had quite a few occasions to play the Trombone and the Euphonium, but the poor old BBb ~ Mrs T Herself ~ has not been down for a couple of years. I am beginning to feel a bit like Mr Rochester keeping my mad first wife in the attic while I dally with younger prettier models downstairs.

New Toys

Today I have spent a small fortune on new toys.   On Saturday it is my daughter's birthday, for ages she has been lusting after a proper digital SLR. She had more or less set her heart on a Cannon, but I felt we should at least have a good look around to see what else is on the market, and make sure that whatever we got did what she wanted and was comfortable to use.   I didn't have too much on this afternoon so we took a little trip to our local camera warehouse.   All the staff there know their stuff and are very helpful.  Since they are enthusiasts they don't mind spending time chatting.   I'm glad we did since when we tried them all we ended up with a Nikon.   It was a good deal and she is happy with how it feels and operates.   So result then!

I also bought myself a new toy.   I now have three chain saws, two of them won't even start, I tried to get them repaired but was told that they are too old and the parts aren't available.   I suspect that they are perfectly repairable but I don't have the time or the inclination to try myself.   After a fair it of consideration I decided it was easier and probably cheaper to just buy a new one.   I have a couple of jobs looming where I could really do with it, indeed it will probably hit payback within a few weeks.   There is also the element that knowing I have it available I know I can take on pretty much any job now.

I now have a working chain saw, hedge trimmer and strimmer, next I need to sort out my mowers.

Performance Piece

I just wanted to share this with you, as with so many pieces of music the interest comes from more than the notes, the expression, and the dynamics.   The performance, anyone following all the performance instructions on this piece will be richly rewarded.

Click to enlarge

Big Beasts

Yesterday evening after a visit to my osteopath I was feeling pretty good, and enjoying the "cool of the evening" so decided to take a quick walk around my local park, before dinner.

While I was there I bumped into some old friends, it was nice to see them again.   This park has been part of my life as long as I can remember, where ever I have lived it has always been near by, and is the place where I go when I am seeking solace.   It may also be responsible in some small way for my choice of career, it was through this place that I found out about Joseph Paxton, my gardening hero.

 My old friends

Flame Away

Yesterday morning Croydon band played as the Olympic torch went by, well more accurately we played before and after the torch went by. The procession is not that impressive, but it is very noisy, I think there were three vehicles from major sponsors all balling out their wares, bizarrely enough followed by a breakdown truck with a dead car on the back then quite a lull before a couple of lone runners, then some cyclists, and another lull before the flame itself arrived.

We were next to a "Kissing" point, nothing romantic this is where the flame gets passed from one custodian to the next. This did at least mean that the "circus" stayed in town for a little longer. I have heard of other locations where spectators complained that you "could blink and miss it" In all we played for over an hour and included in the programme the John Williams Fanfare and Theme from the LA games. This is a really tricky piece to play and the band hadn't even seen it till last Monday so I was very pleased at how well we managed it.

As we had been playing the morning we decided not to have a rehearsal in the evening which meant I had the opportunity to go and rehearse with the All Saints Concert Band.   I love conducting, it is the most musically challenging thing I have done for years, but nothing quite beats playing!

torch song

Tomorrow the Croydon Band plays in Thornton Heath as the Olympic torch goes past.   I am not sure that I can work up much enthusiasm for the whole Olympic thing never mind the torch relay, but it is a chance for us to be out and playing in the community.

Maybe tomorrow I will get a bit fired up and excited, if I am I will let you know, in the mean time enjoy this alternative use for Baritons

Concert

Did I mention that I was playing a concert last night? Although I did have one or two problems relating to concentration I think it went pretty well. It was very nice of the conductor to come up and congratulate me afterwards, altough I may have had the biggest toy I was a very small part of a quite a big band, all of us working for a good performance.

We played a very entertaining programme, but one that was technically very difficult as well, this meant that the band and the audience were all on the edge of their seats with excitement for much of the time. Most of the second half was taken up with an arrangement of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana all 16 movements of it, in many ways this was one of the hardest peaces we have yet performed, a few years ago we looked at it and decided that we were only capable of playing a couple of the movements, now we have performed the whole thing to a high standard at the main Fairfield Concert hall.

The biggest toy

This is also an occasion when the ladies in the band like to dress up in their glam rags, well most of them anyway. Many variations on the theme of the Little Black Dress were in evidence along with some quite cute shoes. This generaly adds to the fun of teh occassion, but I did try to concentrate on playing the music.. Of course there are always one or two who just won't play the glam game, my friend S in one of them, just wearing plain black trousers and a shirt blouse, she did go as far as to buy some "Girly" shoes specially for the occasion.

That is quite an old photo if me, dating back a couple of years to my more hirsute days, the beard is now just a memory, but I thin I may grow my hair a bit longer again.......