Domestics

It was a fascinating approach to a concert.  Stuart Long played a personally influential album, essentially in order.  His father had purchased it as part of a music collection, then on record/LP (now nominated vinyl), to hear on his stereo from Duratone.  How's that for a Canberra story?  The music was relatively short pieces, immensely popular and lyrical, a "best of" of piano of the time.  I too had played a few as a young piano student.  Amusingly, he even interrupted as half-time to "turn the record".  So what did he play?  A Bach prelude, Chopin Fur Elise, some tango and latin, Grieg, Rach, Chaminade, Ibert and some others.  Perhaps my fave was Poulenc Mouvements perpetuels no.1.  Then an encore of Debussy Girl with the flaxen hair.  So the music was entertaining and varied.  I liked also that we just listened.  Stuart asked for no applause except before that little interval and at the end.  We heard more that way and the experience was less interrupted.  Then a meeting of mostly friends and acquaintances over some nibbles and champers for a lovely Sunday outing.  Capable playing and pleasant company.  I guess those domestic concerts in the paintings were something like this, in the days before stereos.

Stuart Long (piano) performed the works of the album John Ogdon Popular piano favourites (1972) at Wesley.