"Aqui esta encerra el almade....."

One would think that a piece of music called "A Pastoral Symphony" by an English composer called Ralph Vaughan Williams, would be all about the English countryside and take you to the Cotswolds or some such place. But that's not the case. It comes in fact from his experience of the First World War in France, where he served with the Medical Corps having enlisted at the age of 41. The trumpet solo was tremendous, the best part of the evening for me. Incredibly moving.  His inspiration for this part came from hearing a French bugler practising his calls, when he was out on the ambulances.

It was the first piece played by Scottish Sinfonia when I went to hear them in Edinburgh recently. I don't often listen to classical music at home, but the live experience I really enjoy. Even though I mostly don't have much knowledge of it, I find it very uplifting, and inspirational, even if at times my concentration does begin to drift and I find myself in another world.

My pal George plays the cello in  the orchestra so it's really through him that I find myself at Scottish Sinfonia concerts. He's a fine cellist to boot. Thanks George, long may you bow that cello. Does one bow a cello?

The second piece for the evening was Elgar's Violin Concerto, which I enjoyed but found more difficult. Still the challenge was worth it. I think Elgar liked a bit of excitement in his love life and said about this work : Aqui esta encerra el almade..... (herein is enshrined the soul of .....) and admiited that the five dots stood for a woman's name, not his wife either. She was called Alice as was his wife, funnily enough.

Anyway a fine evening was had. ps the violin soloist was Daniel Bell, excellent he was too.