Cello

A week or so ago, back to the Wigmore Hall for some cello suites plus from Natalie Clein. A lady of whom I saw quite a lot of, more than five years ago now, mainly at St. Luke's, before Radio 3 scaled back their operations there. See references 4 and 5. But not, it seems, since.

We made a cold, slightly late start to the day. The sun was looking pale and very big behind some cloud and there was still some mist in the hollows.

To Epsom Station to find that trains were not stopping at Vauxhall, the station we like to change at because the walk from overground to underground is not too long - unlike the long walks offered to pssengers at places like the reworked Victoria and Kings Cross stations. One wonders who the winners are. On the up side, we were entertained by a young mum singing with her even younger child.

Just two linemen to be seen at Vauxhall, so not at all clear why trains were not stopping there. Changed at Waterloo to pick up the Jubilee Line to Bond Street where BH took a rather scruffy coffee from the coffee bar on the way out. Not the full experience at all. Cut more or less straight through to the Cock & Lion, from where it is but a short step to the hall. Maybe quicker than our usual walk from Oxford Circus, the downside being that we miss out on All Bar One.

A full-on tramp in a fine nest built out of plastic bags, half full of something, in a shop front in Wigmore Street. We wondered what the something was but did not like to ask, let alone take a picture. Although I dare say we could have had as many snaps as we wanted for a tenner. 

Down to the Beckstein Room to wait for a few minutes, with a talkative party of pensioners at the next table. I tried to bring to mind the name of the once grand department store opposite and failed. Bing came to my aid this morning and turned up reference 1, from which I get the name of Debenham & Freebody. I also learned that the building is well regarded by Pevsner - an accolade rarely achieved by buildings anywhere near us in Epsom - and that it is clad in Doulton's famous Carrara tiles, turned up in turn at reference 2.

Not clear whether the plaque above is made of the stuff or not, but it is clear that there must have been a factory at Battersea. Perhaps with the raw materials once coming in by river barge?

On into the hall which was pretty full, including one older lady coming to sit near the front with what BH assured me was a full on mink coat and hat. Maybe she did not like to leave it in the cloakroom. Maybe she felt the cold even more than I do - although the hall tends to be quite warm. The hat appeared to consist of a broad ring of brown fur around a rather darker, skull-cap like crown - a style which I have quite failed to find this morning so maybe it is from the olden days.

By way of contrast, Clein appeared in a rather flashy, sparkling trouser affair, possibly one piece. No doubt comfortable and entirely suitable for a lady cellist. Altogether a rather florid performance with lots of head movements and powerful expressions.

The Bach suites were as good as ever and the Sibelius was serviceable, but I did not care for the Britten (Cello Suite No.3, Op.87) at all. Far too modern for me. BH got on better with it. Apparently a tribute to, a collaboration with the famous Russian cellist, Mstislav Rostropovich. We had two encores, one whose name involved 'book', otherwise untraced, and other Pablo Casal's 'Song of the Birds'. Again, serviceable, but I preferred the Bach. Maybe three suites and no trimmings would have worked for me. But then again, maybe three would have been too much in one sitting these days.

Afterwards, to the cafeteria at the top of John Lewis for a spot of chicken curry (very mild) with rice. Rather good and rather good value.

Via Oxford Circus to Waterloo, to find that the trains were in a muddle again - and virtually no trains to be seen, stationary or otherwise - but on this occasion just twenty minutes to wait, not bad at all for a Sunday after all. I didn't think to note the number of our train, which might have given me a bit of leverage with which to decipher the snap above.

Kept company on the train by a very smartly turned out parson (technically a padre) who had just come from the Guards Chapel, where I imagine he had been officiating. With his surplice in one of those folding bags that travelling business men used to use for their suits. Rather soldierly bearing, so I suspected that he had seen service. See reference 3.

The chapel is clearly a much grander place than I had realised. I think I must have mistaken the entrance passage for the chapel in my many walks past the place (in Birdcage Walk, quite near the GOGGS building). Must see if I can get inside the next time I am in the area.

PS 1: yesterday I read somewhere of the wide variation in caffeine content of the coffee sold ready to drink. As I recall, lots of caffeine with Costa, much less with Starbucks. One might have thought that in this health and food conscious age, people selling coffee would be more up-front about this. Presumably there is also the angle that there is with beer, with stronger being more macho - so perhaps it does not do to make a point of your coffee being caffeine low.

PS 2: some time later: amused to see that I had read 'potteries' as 'battersea' in the Carrara snap above. Six consecutive letters in common, plus a terminal 's', so possibly a brain jump caused by having previously looked, rather carelessly, at reference 6, where there is talk of both Vauxhall and Lambeth. The potteries up north came later.

References

Reference 1: http://www.vaguelyinteresting.co.uk/dearly-departed-department-stores/.

Reference 2: https://doultoncollectorsclub.com/2017/11/25/royal-doultons-carrara-ware/.

Reference 3: https://www.army.mod.uk/who-we-are/corps-regiments-and-units/royal-army-chaplains-department/.

Reference 4: https://psmv2.blogspot.com/search?q=clein.

Reference 5: https://psmv3.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-home-of-guardian.html.

Reference 6: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Doulton.