Discipline was the order of the day today, because this evening’s prom broadcast will start at 18:30, and hour earlier than previous days. Cycle home from work and 5k run done, then eggs ans avocado on toast prepared ahead of the show.
Tonight is French Night at the proms, but ironically we open up with Ravel’s Rapsodie Espagnole, because apparently he had a penchant for all things Spanish. A nice saccharine movement; the trills, if that’s the correct term, put me in mind of a Disney/Cinderella fantasy.
Next up is a piece older than Ravel, by a composer called Joseph Bologne. I’m really interested to hear the history of this French composer, who was born in colonial France to a plantation owner and his enslaved wife. Need to look up more details about him when I get time. American violinist Randall Goosby makes his proms debut on this violin concerto in G major, and I really enjoy the way his playing blends with the Orchestre National de France, at whole.
During the internal I move from the kitchen/diner, and hook up BBC Sounds to the hifi in the living room.
Danse mystique is a lovely piece, and in the nicest possible way I am starting to drift in and out of consciousness on the settee. Blissfully, as my strict routine from this week catches up with me.
I’m triggered by the back story of the next piece, which is called Poeme and has something to do with love triangles. The radio presenter describes a story of two men in love, one being successful and the other gracefully goes off travelling. I have a flash thought about my next world voyage. It’s a great piece of music by Ernest Chausson - it would be a fit retort for when someone says ‘I’ll get my violin out.’
We end as we began, with a bit of Ravel. Le valse sounds a bit more French, and now there’s just enough time to catch Coronation Street on ITV1+1 before the late night prom tonight.
And so it’s not goodbye, but Au revoir!
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