Sunday 27 November 2005

First things first - for the next week you can hear our appearance on today's live Early Music Show here.

On Friday I took my own advice (see diary 22 June 05) and flew to London to go and hear Fred Frith playing in the Queen Elizabeth Hall. We thought it would be a good place for us to convene as a quartet, Katherine flying in from Sweden, and David from Canada (Alison getting the tube). And seeing Mr Frith play does gladden the heart, even when sharing the stage with such a dodgy outfit as Katia Lebeque's jazz/fusion combo. There was one great moment when Viktoria Mullova and the trio all just stood there staring at Fred as he made amazingly beautiful sounds - yes folks, this is what real music-making looks like.

Saturday's rehearsal in Walthamstow featured some unusual nose-wear from DG (pictured). And then off to Maida Vale this morning, where what looks like a secret government bunker houses some great big broadcasting studios, home to the BBC Symphony Orchestra, countless Radio 1 John Peel sessions, and as the plaque above the control room in studio 3 proclaimed, Bing Crosby's last ever session.  I turned my nose up at the big Steinway that was in the middle of the room and got my hands on a battered old Danemann upright instead to play in the Marshall set of reels (well, the first tune's a hornpipe). And I think I've said 'arse' on Radio 3 enough times now to have got it out of my system. Follow the link above to listen (you've got until next Sunday). What you won't hear is the funniest moment of the day, when Katherine did the level check on her microphone in Swedish.