The streets of London, and a musical interlude

Another concert at Wigmore Hall today, the first of the many after the summer break.

We took a different walk today and took in other sights.  It was a very dull grey all morning :(

Amazing how this street was decorated with plants... a really cheery sight on such a dull (weather wise) day!

The Royal Opera House (we'll be going inside in the not tooo distant future) :D

Covent Garden... never seen it so quiet (my daughter and I used to come up here quite often before we moved further south).. we were too early for it to be open.

Shades of piazzas with al fresco dining in  Florence :D (but not as nearly as hot or sunny)!

and... St Martins in the Fields at Trafalgar Square.  And while we were there the church bells rang - such an amazing sound of which I can never tire!!

This is the information plaque refers to the 'sculpture' below...

Outside St Martins in the Fields..

and inside..

This was moving.. :)

We were somewhat aghast at the amount of litter and rubbish in the streets.  OK I know it's Sunday and we were there early so perhaps the street cleaners hadn't been out but..... one of those occasions when I was ashamed to say it was my capital city!

The rain stayed away until about 10 minutes before we went into Wigmore Hall. - which makes the above picture rather appropriate to end on.

And the concert?

The pianist was a very talented young man - Charlie Siem accompanied, with great proficiency, talen and energy, by Itmar Golan

It's with somewhat irritating that the guy on my left was taking pictures with his mobile phone (thank goodness it didn't ring!) and flash being used by some people on our right!

And the programme was:
Dvorak - Four Romatic Pieces Op 75
Richard Strauss - Violin Sonata en eb Op 18
and, a list minute change from the scheduled item to,
Ravel - Tzigane - which was pleasant

But, somehow we didn't enjoy today's concert as much as we've done before.  At the end of one piece, I asked Pete (in hushed tones) what he thought? He felt it OK and that's as much as I ghouoght too.  So fortunately, it wasn't just me!!  Normally, at the end of a concert, I feel drprived because it's over, but today I didn't get that feeling... sad really because they are two very talented musicians!

Never mind, we have more concerts booked and also a trip to Paris in the very near future... hopefully today's rain will have exhausted itself and we'll have some very sunny Parisienne weather :D