Delighted to be back to the Proms for the first time in three years! Tonight was #7 - Delius, Nielsen, Hugh Wood, & Ravel - and I booked the cheapest seat I could get. I always figure, for a classical concert - unless you know someone in the orchestra, why bother about the view? You're there for the music, and it's not like a rock concert, where they bounce around the stage and might do something outrageous! So I got one for £7.50 - or £9.15, with booking fee - up in the Circle.
I know it takes longer than you might think to get here, so I made sure to leave in good time. It's only three Tube stops from me, but it's a fair trek from South Kensington station to the Albert Hall. Tonight, not rushing - for once - I timed it. Not counting the four-minute wait for a train, it still took over half an hour to get to my seat. After a five-minute or so walk to my local station, about five minutes of the remaining 25 was spent on the Tube. I wasn't walking fast - but it took me about 10 minutes to get to the end of the subterranean passage that links S Ken station with Exhibition Road. A helpful sign says to turn left for the Royal Albert Hall - after that, you turn left again onto Prince Consort Road (appropriately named after the same person as the Hall), right onto Kensington Gore, and soon you see the Hall peeping out from between the buildings. All of that took about another 5 minutes, and give another 5 to get all the way up to the top of the house, and my seat. Really, you don't want to underestimate it - they don't admit latecomers until a suitable part.
This must have been the first occasion where I've both arrived at, and left, the Albert Hall in daylight - and it's a gorgeous part of town. There are so many beautiful buildings around here; it's just a shame that both my phone and camera batteries were down. In fact, I don't know what's become of my camera battery charger! so it could be some time before I take photos with my camera again. Anyway, I was delighted not to be rushing for once. It's a circular building - the door number is printed on the ticket. There was a bag check at the door, but when they saw my bag, they waved me on - too small, I suppose. I had a lot of stairs to climb, but it's an easy climb here. And then a few more steps to get up to my row.
Seats are comfortably upholstered, but it's awkward to rest your head if you want to.. Anyway, I had no-one immediately on either side of me, so plenty of space to spread myself out. That was interesting - the more expensive seats were much more packed. I'm guessing people wanted to make a night of it if they were coming - do it properly. You know, all the Proms are broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, some on tv as well - like tonight's, obviously, with cameras swooping all over the stage. And they're available afterwards, on the website, for a month. But for my part, I prefer them live - even right up in the gods, the atmosphere in the Royal Albert Hall is terrific.
I didn't recognise most of the programme - and had made the mistake of not actually making a note of the programme in advance. Seeing it now on the event website, I must say that the first piece was well named. In a Summer Garden, by Delius, was evocative of birds twittering, sun shining, and all things summery. Things got more dramatic with the inclusion of the large choir that had hitherto been sitting quietly at the back, but roused themselves for Epithalamion, by Hugh Wood. After the interval, we were treated to Nielsen's Clarinet Concerto, and an absolutely stunning performance of Daphnis et Chloe, Suite #2, by Ravel. With full orchestra and choir, this was going out on a high, the music soaring to fill the space. Man, I love these shows! Classical music was never more accessible.
And so home, nice and early for once! And nice that the underground passage was still open - it closes at 10, so I usually have to come back at street level. After-work drinks tomorrow to bid farewell to yet another colleague who's leaving us, and back to Ireland on Friday, for the weekend. On Monday, I'm attending a comedy night with a Meetup group I recently joined - London Live Comedy - who are off to see Lucy Frederick at the Betsey Trotwood, in Clerkenwell. Long time since I've been up that way..
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