The evening after the evening before

It started with disappointment and ended with a standing ovation. Life may not be perfect or wonderful or even interesting, and never will be, but if you look carefully, you might just find something to smile about.

I’m not clued up on Glasgow’s entertainment listings, so imagine my dismay when I discovered that there was a Sunday matinee at the King’s Theatre. I’m so used to there never being any theatre on a Sunday, much less two shows, so the pantomime caught me unawares. Had I been a few minutes later getting into town, I may have had a severe problem parking my car. As it was, my now traditional pre-concert trip to Pizza Express in Sauchiehall Street was spoiled by screaming weans and worse; a lack of chocolate fudge cake and vanilla ice-cream. Someone in a shirt and tie tried to fob me off with a number of cupcakes (apparently made at the same time as the big cake), but I was not for budging, so I left a smaller tip than planned and headed back to the car.

Mercifully, there was no problem parking in the Merchant City, so I arrived in plenty of time for the seating rehearsal, which yielded the first warm and fuzzy moment of the evening; a rendition of ‘Fairytale of New York’, somewhat incongruous with respect to the rest of the programme, but a heart-warming and pleasant surprise. The rest of the rehearsal went according to past form, but it was over all too soon, then it was time for a short intermezzo in a local hostelry before returning to face the music.

Here’s the programme:

Choir and orchestra:

Zadok the Priest

Handel (1685 – 1759)

Orchestra:

Symphony No.4; 4th movement

Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893)

Choir:

Creation’s Hymn

Beethoven (1770 – 1827)

All in the April Evening

Hugh Roberton (1874 – 1952)

Some Enchanted Evening

Richard Rodgers (1902 – 1979)

Choir and strings:

Fairytale of New York

Finer (1955 – ) & MacGowan (1957 – )

Choir and orchestra:

Grand March from Aida

Verdi (1813 – 1901)

I N T E RVAL

Choir:

In dulci jubilo

Pearsall (1797 – 1856)

Orchestra:

Christmas Festival

Anderson (1908 – 1975)

Choir and orchestra:

In the bleak midwinter

Holst (1874 – 1934)

Choir:

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring

Bach (1685 – 1750)

Choir and orchestra:

Finlandia

Sibelius (1865 – 1957)

ENCORE

Choir and orchestra:

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous before, and during, a concert. It’s not just the fear of making mistakes that can be heard by all and sundry. It’s hot under those lights, and I’d prefer to stay upright. Think of the shame if I keeled over in one of the quiet bits! I’m relieved to report that the concert passed without any such incident and a good time appears to have been had by all. What about that standing ovation? I couldn’t believe it. I was as moved as it’s possible for me to get in company, and I couldn’t help but smile at this spontaneous display of approval by what is, after all, a friendly crowd, but we’ve not had one before. I blame the teddy in the front row.