The Ascent of Man

This is my current desk top, is that sad?

Nothing in Particular

Well life carries on, I see that I have not mentioned much about gardens for a while, I have not lost interest in gardens, indeed since I spend at least five days a week gardening it would be difficult to. I think it is more that as I am at it every day it just doesn't seem so special. But now is the time I love most, putting out the bedding, yesterday I spent the afternoon planting up containers for one customer, this felt a bit like a guilty joy since there is so much in that garden that needs doing, having the fun of planting up the pots seemed a bit like cheating. Still the customer is happy and I can go back next week and tackle some of the other jobs.

Another garden I will be working on next week has just about all the problem weeds there are, with ground elder, bind weed, and mare's tail you would think that was enough, but no someone has planted ferns which are out of control, and worst of all, bamboo! Now bamboo is a lovely plant, with interesting colour in the canes, translucent screening, and most of all I love the sound of it rustling in the wind, however it is just too invasive for suburban gardens. Bamboo should never be planted in any garden where the size is measured in anything smaller than acres. I will try to make a point of taking my camera out this week and getting some photos to show you what I spend my days doing.

Monday musings

Nice rehearsal last night, but we are at a funny stage, we have had a very hectic time with lots of jobs in a short time, and now we have nothing in the diary till November. I am hopeful that a couple of jobs will come in over the summer, but we need something closer to be working towards. We are thinking of another formal concert in the early autumn but it is difficult to get a date that works.

On a different note I am thinking of starting a gallery of "Tuba pornography" - no nothing sinister just pictures of instruments so if any of you (Alec) have an interesting or unusual instrument I can feature it would be great to get some pictures, let everyone know that there is life outside of Besson!

Here's a start, this is a most unusual instrument, a little Miraphone Eb 4 rotor with recording bell. I bought this a few years ago with high hopes, it had a very focused sound quite like an F tuba, and would have been good for solos, unfortunately it just needed too much work doing (and therefore too much money spending) for the small amount I would have used it. I quite liked it but when I used it at band and orchestra conductors weren't quite so happy. Whoever has it now I hope it is used and enjoyed.

Morden Hall,

What a good day! lots of sunshine, making music with good friends, and paella! The event was a Craft fair, quite a big do with a lot of exhibitors, sales stalls and entertainment. Lots of inflatables, displays of Suffolk Punch Horses, dogs, ponies, birds of prey - oh all sorts of things. There was so much going on it was rather impressive how many people stopped to listen to the Band. We played two 6o minute sets and managed to cover quite a wide range of styles, with some marches, overtures, Faure's Pavanne, the Sound of Music and even a couple of my own arrangements.

As the Band is a little short of players at the moment and a couple of them weren't available we had to rely on the help of friends to fill some empty seats. As the conductor I was very impressed and pleased at how well the Band gelled into a single performance with little or no rehearsal, this certainly made my job a lot easier, and a lot more satisfying.

Another really satisfying thing about today was that my wife was with me, she doesn't come to many of the Band's gigs so I was glad she came to this one, where we were "spot on", her presence also kept me out of the beer tent, and better still bought me Paella! pretty close to a perfect outing.

Busy Times

Busy Times indeed, although this is a long bank holiday weekend, I can't say that it has been particularly restful, Friday included a long drive home from Cardiff after a day of working around my Mother's house and garden, then a Saturday the Croydon Band played the first of two performances at the Brockwell Park Lido, they have an event going on over the weekend involving all sorts of activities and stalls selling various things, we were just providing some background atmosphere. After lunch I then had to work, with all these holidays I need to make sure that my customers don't go too long without having their lawns mowed. Then this morning we had a repeat performance at the Lido.

We are building up quite a good relationship with the company that runs the Lido - Fusion Leisure - and will be playing there again at Christmas, if not before.

Since our Centenary Concert we have only had one rehearsal, and that wasn't too intense, I'm afraid that means we are a little under rehearsed for this weekend, tomorrow, Monday, we are playing at a craft fair at Morden Hall, we will be expect to play 2 sets so will need around 90 minutes of music. A lot of the music we performed at the concert will not be suitable and we will be using a few deps, so quite few people may end sight reading on the stand.

We played for this event last year, it was my first performance conducting so something of an anniversary for me.

Brassed Off

Just watched this excelent film on TV, If you havn't seen it make sure you do, I think this film more than any other I've seen conjurs up the working backdrop to the brass band movement. These days bands are made up of people from all walks of life, gone now are the days of the pit band, or the works band where the employer, encouraged, and sponsored a Brass Band as a benifit for the workers. Maybe this is because the coal mines and factories are also gone. There are a few odd moments, like the band being in uniform for rehearsals, and instruments being cariied through teh streets without there cases, and the tenor trombone, instead of a bass, but I still think that somehow this film captures something special about teh brass band, as well as that rather sad moment in our history. Mind you if I threw myself around like the "conducter" of the band at the RAH my band would think I had either gone crazy, or was having a fit.

Brass Band Concert

Last night we played our concert, and I have to say that it mostly went well, I have to say that since the band may be reading this. No I have to say it because it's true. The overall performance was much better than I feared it could have been, if maybe not all I had dreamed it might have been. What I am surprised by is how exhausted I feel, not so much physically but mentally and emotionally. I don't know how professional conductors manage if it is like this every time. Today I have basically done nothing except watch TV, I would have had a few beers, but that's still not allowed until next Sunday. It was mentioned to me last night that many people consider Lent to finish today, on Palm Sunday others do not consider the Sundays to part of Lent, at least not for fasting purposes. For myself I think Lent stars on Ash Wednesday and finishes on Easter Sunday, and all days in between constitute part of the fast, if you are following one. I also know that this year feels harder than previous years, I hope this does not mean that I am more addicted to booze than before, it has been a stressful time for me, and my normal response to stress, involves booze and tubas, and this year I have been playing less, since I have been conducting, and adding to my stress levels - role on next Sunday. I hope to have some pictures from the concert soon, and will try to write a fuller report over the next couple of days, however there is no rest, we still have a rehearsal tomorrow as we will be out playing four times over the next few weeks. All good stuff, providing the Band with extra income, and raising our local profile.