Tuesday 11 December 2007

on the train home from Edinburgh

the view from platform 4, Haymarket station, 7.15pm

I'm in the middle of a week of being a professional musician playing in the SCO. It's been many months since I last sat in, so I've missed out on all sorts of news, including Su-a's appearance in Scotland on Sunday's 'most eligible' list. Just two spots below Annie Lennox: go girl!

Anyway, what struck me today is what good pieces Vivaldi's Four Seasons are, and how interesting it would be to hear what he wrote without the familiar performance traditions and habits. And does there really have to be an orchestra there? I recently heard a wee snippet of Sigiswald Kuijken's new recording played on the violoncello da spalla, and it sounded really fresh: direct, simple, and ... no orchestra! I feel a project coming on. In fact by 7pm today I'd already enlisted the variously enthusiastic support of the key players and a promoter.

Also what's striking is how much even my own playing of the piece has changed since I last played it five years ago. In the UK there are decades of tradition that suggest places in the piece where the harpsichord player can show off, but it makes no sense in terms of the piece at all. In general, I'm playing a lot less notes than I used to. It's odd having to decide not to play to audience expectations: the temptation is to think 'a part of the Edinburgh audience will be expecting a cool harpsichord break here: better show them what I can do', but I realised that I'd feel better about myself afterwards if I mentally told them to get lost, and persuaded them to listen to what Vivaldi wrote instead. Who's the better composer, him or me? No contest.

I've also been reading a contract for the Lion CD today, which may make it available for download sometime soon.