The Other Side of the River
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Yes, it has finally happened. I couldn’t help myself - a mighty impulse drove me away from my natural habitat. I left my beloved Southbank yesterday and crossed the river into the wild lands of Westminster.
The reason, you ask? Taking first sight of a strange contraption blocking our wonderful Royal Festival Hall.
I saw a big, square piece of gaudy plastic tarpaulin slowly going up in front of it’s beautifully gleaming front, with child-like (and some might say childish) colouring, and looking somewhat fragile in the winds.
Shocked, bothered and bewildered, I headed to St. John’s Smith Square where I felt safe. No one would dare alter this most serene place.
And I was duly rewarded. Taking place was a fabulous concert with the almost angelic choir of Trinity College Cambridge and the Academy of Ancient music to soothe my direly stressed sense of beauty. These young people were a joy - fabulously clear, fresh singing, enthusiastically presented. And I felt incredibly fortunate - the cream of English Early Music was there as well: Emma Kirkby, James Gilchrist, Iestyn Davies, Neal Davies, all presenting a program so soulful not even the shenanigans in my normal temple of joy were disturbing me any longer. I will never forget the Stanford motets - you could hear a pin drop in the church, which was packed with a great variety of all sorts of people all open-mouthed at the sheer beauty of Handel’s music.
Have I forgotten to mention that you can also get a very nice light supper at St John’s? The cool crypt provides a comfortable setting, and it seems they have just changed caterers. The menu looked good, so I am waiting for them to settle in and will report back on that element anon.
In the meantime, maybe the Australian people running Royal Festival Hall should remember the Prince of Wales verdict of yonder - condemning the Southbank center as an architectural nightmare. While we have grown to admire and love its stark beauty, I think it will be a long time indeed before we get used to this newest 'carbuncle'. And the small fortune it will have cost them to put up this hideous structure could have well been invested into the Hall itself, which they say is crying out a lot of funding still...
- The Southbank Gourmand
I saw a big, square piece of gaudy plastic tarpaulin slowly going up in front of it’s beautifully gleaming front, with child-like (and some might say childish) colouring, and looking somewhat fragile in the winds.
Shocked, bothered and bewildered, I headed to St. John’s Smith Square where I felt safe. No one would dare alter this most serene place.
And I was duly rewarded. Taking place was a fabulous concert with the almost angelic choir of Trinity College Cambridge and the Academy of Ancient music to soothe my direly stressed sense of beauty. These young people were a joy - fabulously clear, fresh singing, enthusiastically presented. And I felt incredibly fortunate - the cream of English Early Music was there as well: Emma Kirkby, James Gilchrist, Iestyn Davies, Neal Davies, all presenting a program so soulful not even the shenanigans in my normal temple of joy were disturbing me any longer. I will never forget the Stanford motets - you could hear a pin drop in the church, which was packed with a great variety of all sorts of people all open-mouthed at the sheer beauty of Handel’s music.
Have I forgotten to mention that you can also get a very nice light supper at St John’s? The cool crypt provides a comfortable setting, and it seems they have just changed caterers. The menu looked good, so I am waiting for them to settle in and will report back on that element anon.
In the meantime, maybe the Australian people running Royal Festival Hall should remember the Prince of Wales verdict of yonder - condemning the Southbank center as an architectural nightmare. While we have grown to admire and love its stark beauty, I think it will be a long time indeed before we get used to this newest 'carbuncle'. And the small fortune it will have cost them to put up this hideous structure could have well been invested into the Hall itself, which they say is crying out a lot of funding still...
- The Southbank Gourmand
