Concerts with a domesticated Dodgess

Going to a concert with the Dodgess is a fun experience. Partly because you get her encyclopedic knowledge of music and performers, to make up for what are often hugely sub-standard, and mind numbingly boring programme notes.

But you also get her reactions to the playing. The first time I noticed this I had driven her (though some of the worst driving conditions imaginable) up to a concert in Leeds given by her academic consultant on 19th century violin playing.  Even I could tell the concert wasn't good - I was bored by it. At the end the Dodgess did clap - slowly, but her face had a very puzzled look on it. Perhaps saying 'why have I wasted a Sunday afternoon on this?' Or 'Argh - my academic life is dead if this is what my advisor plays like' Or possible even 'Is the Dodge going to shoot me for putting him through this painful aural experience?' (I hasten to say that I didn't...)

On the other hand, after a good performance (such as a recent account of Beethoven 7 directed by Joshua Bell) the joy she feels could be understood by a toddler.

All of this leads me to a similar reaction she had when sat next to me following a performance of Grieg's Piano Concerto last week. This was with the SSO and Dang Thai Son, a Vietnamese pianist. Pianists reading will know that the Grieg is not the highest mountain of the piano world. But even this proved too high. To me, the fast parts have to sparkle - not be over-peddled. And the lyrical parts need space - and should never sound like the pianist is in a hurry to catch the 11 O clock flight off the island.

Shostakovitch 5 was better - certainly lacking the depth of insight that Russian orchestras bring to the work, and with some distinctly variable intonation. There were also a couple of pieces played in lieu of an overture were, well, forgettable (but more to do with the composition than the playing).

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Perhaps the greatest treat of this week was coming home on Friday night. As I got out of the cab I thought 'oooh - that smells nice'. It was a combination of the brocoli soup and biscuit baking that the Dodgess had done in the preceeding hours. The biscuits are great, and so was the dinner, albeit that we had yet another blender incident - we are now on our 4th blender in 6 years. On top of that - the flat was spotless!! :)