Organ Recital

Snooping around Meetup for today - with nothing booked - the most interesting thing I came across was courtesy of Carpe Diem (and thanks very much to them!). They had a "Riverside Stroll, Organ Recital and Lunch". Well now, I don't know them, had never been with them before - never got the chance! - and wasn't pushed about the social element, particularly for the fee of £5, which probably didn't include the lunch. Anyway, I was up late last night blogging (oh, the freedom of gardening leave!), so decided the more sensible option was to get up a bit later and just come to the organ recital on my own. They didn't mention where it was, but a bit of judicious Googling revealed that it was in St. Bride's Church (the one that looks like a wedding cake, and is included on all the tours), and was one of their series of free lunchtime recitals.

So, I got up in a leisurely fashion, and had time to dress and have breakfast before I meandered out. I even had time to take a bus the whole way, which made the whole thing very cheap - 344 to Elephant & Castle, 45 or 63 to Fleet Street / City Thameslink. Takes nearly an hour, but you know, I'm a lady of leisure these days.. Naturally, the 344 arrived at the stop as I was crossing the road - but the driver turned out to be one of those obliging ones, who waited. Not that she had much of an option, as I ran in front of the bus to save time..

At Elephant & Castle, Google Maps had told me that one bus would go from Stop A, one from Stop B - which was odd, as Stop B turned out to be a stop where passengers were not picked up. In fact, both called at Stop A - much handier. And when one came, I got on it, and alighted some time later just up the road from Fleet Street, with about five minutes to spare - always add a bit to those Google Maps estimates, particularly where buses are involved.

I could see that wedding-cake spire over the rooftops - which was reassuring, as it's not obvious where the entrance is, embedded in side streets as it is. But I wandered around for a bit and found it. Now, this is famously known as the "journalists' church", given its proximity to Fleet Street, and aren't they the lucky ones?! It's Wren-designed, and gorgeous:

Anyway, I sat myself over the side, in view of the organ, and didn't have long to wait before the organist, Geoff Howells, came to give a little explanation of what he was going to play. Three pieces by people I'd never heard of, to start - and my, when he did start, I got a shock! What he was playing might have seemed a modest instrument, but it was obviously connected to pipes embedded deep in the building's structure, and when he played, the whole place vibrated..

Although I didn't recognise the first three pieces, they were pleasant enough - with the exception of Manawyddan's Glass Door, by Andrew Keeling, which ended with the most discordant piece of music I think I've ever heard. Ick, modern classical. Anyway, my ears were assuaged by the final piece - Bach's Toccata and Fugue in F, which the organist decided merited its own introduction, and which he promised us was a magnificent piece to play in such a venue. And so it proved, and a wonderful way to end this 45-minute concert.

I did actually see someone I know, I think, sat in the main aisle - but I'm not sure whether she saw me. Anyway, leaving Carpe Diem to their lunch, I made my way home in the cold. Took a while, in heavy traffic - but what the hey, it was sunny, and I wasn't in a hurry, now was I?!

Tomorrow, I'm back with the London European Club at Sadler's Wells, for a performance called Loch na hEala ("Swan Lake" in Irish). Mikel Murfi is in it, apparently - and more than simply dance, this show includes storytelling and live music. I'm guessing there'll be something of the Children of Lir in it - and apparently, the music is both Irish and Nordic. Sounds intriguing.

And on Sunday, I'm back with the London European Club, for a concert by Sondorgo and Maarja Nuut, at Jerwood Hall. And what's more, it's nice that there'll be people that I know at both of these events..