Toothy Dover

Ten days ago to the Wigmore Hall to hear the Dover Quartet; a day onto which the dentist had gate-crashed, which meant back to Epsom straight after the concert. Not our usual form at all.

With the Dover Quartet coming from the US. There looks to be links with both the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and Northwestern in Chicago. 

The first of these may well be a fine institute, but I notice that its website is right off message: 'Curtis is committed to a rich and diverse environment, free of discrimination. Curtis does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class status in the administration of any of its programs or activities, including admissions, financial aid, educational programs, or other Curtis-administered programs and activities or in its employment practices'. Perhaps someone needs to have a word with them about their funding.

A cold day and it seemed to be trying to rain, but the good news was that the water main hole in the road by the West Hill rail bridge had been mended. They must have worked Sunday given that nothing much happened Saturday, with the scene on the Friday being noticed at reference 2.

On the tube, a young family pushing a double pram from iCandy - with the bundle above coming in at a little over £1,300 - which seems a great deal to me, but then it is a long time since we were in the market for such things.

And looking at the snap above, I am reminded once again of how much design and technology such prams and my own trolley (aka walker, aka rollator) have in common. The wheels and their mountings, for example, are virtually identical. See, for example, reference 9.

That is to say, back in the days when beer came in at less than 50p a pint. This nugget courtesy of the chap at reference 3. Serious toper I should think. 

And I am reminded that the Tooting Broadway Wetherspoons held respectable Theakston's Export at £1 a pint for years, say in the 1990s. While I think Theakston's themselves put up a tent up on the hill for Derby Day, at least once, at which the proud boast was real beer for the regular price.

Olle & Steen quiet at noon. Lots of Lime bikes out in the street, but no Bullingdons. One van from Hedonism, a place I have not visited for years, although we did pass it quite recently, as noticed at reference 5.

Then on the way to the Hall, a flash Rolls Royce, a 2024 Phantom V12 extended wheelbase model. Any offers on what the FO might be? Presumably not our own Foreign Office, although I dare say they do call in such a car from time to time when they have a very important visitor. People like POTUS.

Was whoever it was at the very same concert? Maybe the chap who made the announcement reported in the snap above possible?

Into the hall for Dvořák's Op.96 and Schumann's Op.41 No.1. Dvořák as good as ever - having been previously heard in 2024 and 2018. The Schumann was probably new to us and my recollection was that it might grow on me. While when I tried it on YouTube earlier today (on my laptop), it was as if I was hearing it for the first time - except for some fast bits in the middle which did seem familiar. Curious.

Afterwards the audience oddly subdued. No idea why: Wigmore Hall lunchtime concert audiences are usually very enthusiastic clappers, with a big majority going for the encore, rather than wanting to nip out for the next fixture. And they usually get it.

We made our way back to Bond Street and Waterloo, with time there to pick up cheese and tomato baguettes from Upper Crust before our train left. A sandwich bar I think that I first discovered during my last lap in the world of work, that is to say the first years of the present century. I think that, at that time, I thought they were pretty good, despite there not being much competition. Whereas on this occasion, not so good. Baguette undercooked. Cheese probably intended for use in a toastie. Tomato cut very thin. And the whole decorated with white goo. But they served - much better than a couple of the pasties on offer - a food I find a bit heavy going these days - not least because of excess pepper.

While according to reference 7, Upper Crust has been going for forty years, so somehow I missed them for the first half of their existence. 

Out at Epsom with time in hand to get to the dentist. All the same, there would not have been time for a comfortable lunch in town.

I learn now that the Schumann was not new to us at all, having heard it Dorking about five years ago, as reported at reference 8 - on which occasion we liked it, rather to our surprise. 

I don't suppose that music has a stronger claim to stick around in memory than other stuff - so perhaps it is as just a much a casualty of the older brain as everything else.

PS: I was also reminded that the blog search feature is case blind but not accent blind. If you want Dvořák and that is how you spelt it then, that is how you have to spell it now. Accent blind might suit me better.

References

Reference 1: https://www.doverquartet.com/.

Reference 2: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2025/03/trolley-801.html.

Reference 3: https://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/.

Reference 4: https://hedonism.co.uk/.

Reference 5: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2025/01/consone.html.

Reference 6: https://slippedisc.com/. Including advertisements from Aga, on the strength of my have looked at their saucepans earlier today. But they are too expensive and too late - as am suited elsewhere. As will reported in due course.

Reference 7: https://uppercrust.co.uk/.

Reference 8: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2020/02/dorking-two.html.

Reference 9: https://www.saljol.de/en/. The source of the cosy snap above.