Monday 20 October 2008

Next Sunday I have my last gig for quite a long time, at Brighton playing in this, and then a little cabaret with Mr Bowman and Ms Bott afterwards. It should be fun, even though I've never exchanged more than a quick hello with James Bowman. Having said that, he came along to one of our gigs in 1999 with Linda Ormiston, and sang along enthusiastically in the chorale of a Bach cantata, to the great surprise of the people in the row in front. He's also on one of my favourite records ever, Simon Preston's 70s recording of the Handel Birthday Ode for Queen Anne with the AAM, on which his account of the opening 'Eternal Source of Light Divine' is quite stunning.

So I'd better learn the notes: everything from Cavalli and Handel to Noel Coward and Flanders & Swann. The failure/success parameters are rather complex. 

Strange things happen in BBC buildings at night: things like this.