Famous People I've Sat by at a Concert

[Nick Armstrong]

The best I can offer is that I once met Richard Hickox in a lift at Heathrow Terminal 1.

If we're going down that route, I arrived in NY and went through immigration with Alfred Brendel. The flight had been delayed, it was 2 in the morning or something. It made me think about the rigours of the soloist's life - next day at 7 or 8, I was certainly in no condition to play a Beethoven piano concerto (or whatever)...

Oh and I sat next to Denholm Elliott on a flight to Ibiza

[scottycelt]

judging by the number of mentions he's had on this thread, our chancellor seems to be a cultured fellow

I wonder if he goes t' football too

Well, I've occasionally bumped into him at Wilmslow Station, but I deliberately buy the cheapest plebs advance ticket possible so that I'm refused a seat in first-class and he doesn't have to sit next to me....

[Osborn]

Surprising story this as well, considering that Isabelle Faust in a recent "CD Review" interview with Andrew McGregor said how much interpretative freedom Abbado had allowed her in their recent recording of the Beethoven and Berg VCs. Perhaps, La Belle Helene unearthed another side to the usually placid maestro; or more probably, how Abbado was content to give Faust her head so long as her ideas agreed with his.

Here's a report of the Grimaud/Abbado fallout (Oct 2011):
Titans Class Over a Mere Cadenza
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/31/ar...anted=all&_r=0

The subsequent recording by DG was from live performances directed by herself. IIRC she made a lovely remark along the lines of the conducting being rather better than on the binned Abbado version.

[Nick Armstrong]

judging by the number of mentions he's had on this thread, our chancellor seems to be a cultured fellow

I wonder if he goes t' football too

[Old Grumpy]

I was stood behind Sean Rafferty in the queue at the cafe at the Sage this morning.

Not sure I should mention that on these boards though!

OG

[french frank]

I was about to tell my story of how Paul Tortelier once sat opposite me in the train. I thought I would google: paul tortelier swindon (which is where he got off) in case there were any concert details and I found this.

I refer the Honourable Members to the reply I gave earlier

[mercia]

if a story's worth telling, it's worth telling (at least) twice

[salymap]

I was about to tell my story of how Paul Tortelier once sat opposite me in the train. I thought I would google: paul tortelier swindon (which is where he got off) in case there were any concert details and I found this.

I refer the Honourable Members to the reply I gave earlier

Wow, I don't remember any of that ff. Dear Sigolene- I've often wondered about her, I do hope she is alright.

[french frank]

If a story's worth telling, it's worth telling (at least) twice

Oh, yes - over and over again - but not necessarily to the same people.

Saly - not sure whether that says more about your memory, my story, or the way I tell it!

[Mary Chambers]

Oh, yes - over and over again - but not necessarily to the same people.

I work on the principle that there just might be new members who haven't heard my stories before. That's my excuse, anyway.

[amateur51]

I work on the principle that there just might be new members who haven't heard my stories before. That's my excuse, anyway.

[scottycelt]

I work on the principle that there just might be new members who haven't heard my stories before. That's my excuse, anyway.

You don't need any excuse, Mary ...

I also work on the principle that any minority member ignorance must be rectified at the earliest opportunity!

[Simon]

Wow, I don't remember any of that ff. Dear Sigolene- I've often wondered about her, I do hope she is alright.

I too sometimes wonder, Saly, about the people who have wandered into these MBs and then gone again.

Occasionally, we have heard about their passing away from relative/friends, which is always sad. But more often they just cease posting and we don't know why. I expect ff knows a more than we do about some of them, as I'm sure sometimes they will give her a courtesy email to say why.

I'm in very irregular contact with one who used to be on the BBC boards ages ago, but it's only because of a vaguely shared interest, and a couple who posted on the CE threads I knew anyway and still bump into occasionally.

Some, of course, pop up with new names, but after a few posts one can often recognise the style, especially if they are aggressively political or exhibit troll-like behaviour. But these generally go away again.

There were a couple on the BBC boards about whom I was concerned. I hope they are OK.

[salymap]

I would welcome news of gamba, who asked to be my friend, posted some wonderful stories about his life as a film and theatre cameraman but has been silent for some time now.

I know he's getting on in years but hope he will contact us again some time. All good wishes to him.

[amateur51]

I would welcome news of gamba, who asked to be my friend, posted some wonderful stories about his life as a film and theatre cameraman but has been silent for some time now.

I know he's getting on in years but hope he will contact us again some time. All good wishes to him.

I totally agree salymap - a great storyteller with plenty of interest to say