A strange place to be...George's page: Music

Madonna - Confessions Tour - Wembley Arena - August 16th 2006

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:48:52 GMT

I just found this little piece languishing in my drafts folder...

It was thrilling seeing Madge once more...but she kept us waiting for 1h and 10mins! But that is the problem with charismatic performers like her, you forget all about those kind of problems when she makes it on stage!

The show was really tightly choreographed and with a great playlist. It was slightly more special than the rest of the nights she played as it was her birthday. So we all got to sing happy birthday to her...and quickly escape to Wembley Park tube station!

About last night's concert

Wed, 19 Jan 2005 12:05:57 GMT

Here is the programme from last night's concert:

Vivaldi - The four seasons, Op 8

Respinghi - Antiche Danze ed Arie

Tchaikovky - Souvenir de Florence, Op 70

London Strings

Richard Llewellyn, Conductor

Ruth Rogers, solo Violin

Always enjoy returning to St. John Smith Square in Westminster, if only to lgaze at the serenely beautiful architecture.

Las night it was a lovely experience. The four seasons are always difficult to pay full attention to. Familiarity through over playing and advertasing has "burnt" the work for me. But when I am made to listen to it live it always sound more exciting. Especially since I've got no access to the fast forward button! The violinist took liberties with the concluding part of the Autumn and parts of Winter. For any music buff they would have been unbearable blemishes to a baroque gem. For me they were an affirmation of the flawed nature of all of us. They bring to life music since it becomes unpredictable and allows another level of interpretation.

Their Respighi was pretty indifferent, as most of his music is just cute sound effects, in my humble (not) opinion.

Souvenir de Florence was wonderfuly bombastic. Rather fit to the specifics of the composition. Originaly orchestrated for a quartet, last night it was played by a full string orchestra. With truly unexpected results! They sheer deluge of sound was thruly surprising. At the end of it all it's a Russian composer trying to make "Italian flavoured" music, but finding it difficult to leave behind his Russian ways ;-) The orchestra brought that aspect to the fore. Clarified the discrepancy between the composer's intentions and the work's final direction. A very interesting point, made in the most graphic terms possible.

That's all about last night...and a good chance to say once more thanks to Anna for the tickets!

Tonight tonight!

Tue, 18 Jan 2005 15:59:04 GMT

Anna has invited me to tonight's concert at St. John Smith Sq

http://www.sjss.org.uk/this-month/page3.html

and it's very exciting! It's such a fantastic space for music.

The best aspect is that it will be complimentary tickets

which makes any concert all the more exciting!

Will come up with some kind of review tomorrow.

Last concert was Ute Lemper at the Barbican...which was simply breath-taking, but then you can't expect anything less by the great Ute!