Today's lunchtime recital at All Hallows by The Tower, featuring flautist/piccoloist Jane Gilbert and pianist Brian Bendle, had an endearingly informal feel about it, reflected in a number of ways. Firstly there were the jaunty programme notes, such as the description of the final part of Ernesto Kohler's Serenata Oriental, "sultry Brothel Music before a gallop on that camel again, or, as it says on the packet "bright, melodic, arid and charming salon music with piano"". I liked the way "Brothel Music" was capitalised as if it's a classical genre, like Baroque Music or Chamber Music.
Secondly the musicians were hanging around at the back of the church with a couple of friends when I arrived, wondering aloud whether to get started or to wait for Randy the barman to turn up. They started without him. There were only twenty people in the audience and I had a feeling that most of them knew the duo, so when Jane had to stop and restart the second piece because her piccolo needed a clean, there was no awkward audience moment. The informality was rounded off after the concert by an invitation to have a glass of wine. It was only then that I noticed that Randy the barman (I assumed it was he) had arrived and set out a fair few bottles of wine - enough for a bottle each I'd think - on a fold-up table at one side of the church. This, I believe, was to celebrate Jane travelling at 163mph last Sunday on an airfield "somewhere in England".
Both musicians work in The City as well as performing their music worldwide. Jane in Kidnap Insurance (though the notes suggested this is now behind her) and Brian as a Broker at Lloyds.
Check out the church if you're passing. It's drenched in history.
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