We have stopped going to Yuja Wang concerts because either she does not publish a programme or she is apt to mess around with the one she does publish. We like to know what we are going to hear. On this occasion however, the Diabelli Variations were a fixture and I thought the Bach would for me be a better bet than the Schumann - although I got on very well, surprisingly well, with the Schumann that we did get.
With Anderszewski being the same gentleman as we had heard earlier in the week and noticed at reference 1. His fiftieth birthday concert, which meant that he was presented with a bottle of champagne by one of the ushers at the end.
A mild evening with some cloud at Epsom and a lot more by the time I got to Raynes Park. At Vauxhall, despite having passed through this station what must be thousands of times, I discovered a new to me exit from the country end of the platform. And at Oxford Circus it was more than clouds, with a little rain, which made for a slightly damp picnic in Cavendish Square.
Wigmore Hall more or less full and I spotted a couple of veterans of ITV3 in the audience. While next to me I had a couple of what I took to be middle aged Swedes on holiday. Swedes who gave me the impression of being people who were not very used to this sort of concert. Furthermore, the husband appeared to be asleep through a good part of it.
Bach and Schumann all very good, with the Bach sometimes bringing the harpsichord to mind, sometimes the organ. Presumably some obscure and unconscious memory.
Quick visit to the Cock & Lion in the interval for a spot of Black Label. Just to be on the safe side, the barman gave me the whisky, without ice, in one glass, and some water in another, in case I was the sort who took water with his whisky. Which, as it happens, I am not. But it was a nice touch, the sort of thing they might do in Terroirs.
Back to my seat, to find that the fancy hairdo in front of me seemed rather odd. A lady perhaps thirty years old, with strong, fair hair down to her shoulders. But somehow, it had been so carefully sculpted that it did not look as if it belonged to her. Rather as if it was a wig, which I am fairly sure it was not. Which to my mind, was a failure of styling: styled hair should remain connected with its owner. Maybe if I had taken more whisky, I would have made some excuse to find out the name of the stylist concerned.
Lights right down for the Diabelli Variations, played, as was the first half, without score. Again very good, although I thought a touch loud at times.
On the counting front, I thought about counting: theme plus 33 variations making 34 in all. But, on this occasion, decided against. Not really sure why not, as counting of such things had been successful in the past. Perhaps 34 seemed like too large a number for comfort.
Not sure either about encores after works of this sort, but the encore we were given on this occasion went down very well. Nicely winding things down.
Evening only slightly marred by some rather gross eating on the tube. A young man and his burger. Burger done, earphones in and seemingly off to sleep. The young of today.
Reference 1: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2019/05/belcea-30.html.
Reference 2: http://www.anderszewski.net/.
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