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James Ehnes and Andrew Armstrong at Wigmore Hall last Sunday -- absolutely bodied the whole programme but the Shostakovich changed my life. They seem like two nice men who really respect each other so I wasn’t fully sold on the emotion, but still had so much fun watching one guy bouncing on the piano stool and the other fully battering an 18th century Stradivarius. It was slapstick! I loved it!
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Whatever cocktail of angst, melancholy and adrenaline that homie was drinking back in 1901 when he finished writing the second movement of Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 19, I feel it.
This rendition by Sheku Kanneh-Mason & Isata Kanneh-Mason is my absolute favourite– the emotion they're both putting into playing the piece is palpable and absolutely phenomenal.
BONUS REC: If you like working to classical music, I recommend to give the full sonata a listen (it’s like ~30 mins of complete intensity & beauty)
Aug 8, 2024
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I had only been dating the guy who would eventually become my husband three weeks when he called me and, at once brazenly and sheepishly, asked me if he could borrow three thousand dollars. He wanted to buy into an investment opportunity that he was excited about, but he had enough sense to recognize that it was a huge ask because it was far from guaranteed that that money wouldn't just be flat out GONE, it was one of those super risky things that essentially never pan out, but some people go for it anyway because hope is a powerful drug. He immediately launched into all sorts of "no matter how long it takes I'll pay you back and if it pays off you'll make interest" but I cut him off and said, "Listen. I will lend you this money. If the investment succeeds, I'll expect you to pay me back in full. However if it fails, we can simply call it a loss. I am prepared to lose the money. I am only going to ask one thing of you, in return for this: I would like you to play me something that you truly like playing." My husband is a pianist. At the time we were both performers in a show, I was in the dance chorus and he was one of the conductors of the orchestra. I'd heard him play rehearsals and other work stuff and we'd talked a lot about music, but I'd never heard him truly play. He didn't have access to any pianos outside of work, but the next week he was slated to move into a new house that came with a baby grand piano. He already had the keys, so even though his lease hadn't officially started, that Sunday (our day off) we went to the house where eventually I'd be putting my step kids to bed, learning to cook and how to be a partner. The utilities were off so there was no light or heat on this afternoon in late autumn. I wrapped up in my scarf and sat on the floor next to the piano and he played this sonata for me. Best three thousand dollars I ever spent.
Feb 12, 2024
He’s just the best at music. The most sentimental and enticing, also the most ugly and challenging. Interviews with him are hilarious too. I love his thick Russian accent and the way he is constantly smiling to himself in this unhinged but charming way.
Dec 5, 2024
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Jan 29, 2024
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vibe is immaculate…eight of us in and we’re all working very hard…no music over the tannoy so I can work out to weyes blood for once…a woman GIGGLED with me as we both tried to add our disinfectant wipes to the overflowing bin on our way out…you simply do not get this on a Wednesday evening
Mar 9, 2024
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leave! go home to bed! just fucking go if you’re not having a nice time at the opening of the lesbian tapas bar on broadway market because none of the rude east london lesbians will make eye contact with you and you feel very self conscious! listen to philip glass on the bus home and think about how you don’t need the rude east london lesbians anyway!!!!!
Feb 15, 2024