Meeting With an Icon

[Mary Chambers]

Mine were only Brief Encounters, but deeply significant to me. I've dropped these names so often, but here we go again...

I once helped Rudolf Nureyev remove snow from the roof of his car (a white Mercedes sports car). He kept saying 'We need a brush', but neither of us had one. Snow was removed all the same. This was about 1964 when he was still young and beautiful (and I was nearer to that than I am now!)

I bumped into Peter Pears in Aldeburgh High Street in the year he was 70..... not surprising, I suppose. Big thrill for me, though. We had a brief conversation and he was very nice. Also that year I was with a friend I had met there (having left husband and children at home) - I can't now quite remember what building we were in, perhaps the Festival Club - and we heard the sound of a violin behind a door. Cautiously we opened the door, then backed away nervously when we saw it was Henryk Szeryng doing a bit of practice. He saw us and said, "Come in, come in! Music is for everyone!". So we did.

Another time in Aldeburgh, not during the Festival, my husband and I almost literally bumped into Rostropovich in the music shop. He laughed a lot, I remember.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I bumped into Peter Pears in Aldeburgh High Street in the year he was 70..... not surprising, I suppose. Big thrill for me, though. We had a brief conversation and he was very nice.

Ah, yes! I was with a group of students who attended a Symposium devoted to Lutoslawski at the Britten/Pears School in November 1980. Pears very kindly came to us at the end of the course to ask us if we'd enjoyed it!

(Lutoslawski himself was also charming and encouraging, as was John Casken, who was delivering a couple of the talks. A wonderful long weekend.)

[ardcarp]

Celebs are best advised to avoid urinals. The people either side of them tend to turn and exclaim, "You're so-and-so aren't you?"...quite forgetting where they're pointing.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Spike Milligan first met Harpo Marx in a(?n?) urinal.
"What are you doing in my dressing room?!" demanded Harpo.

[amateur51]

Celebs are best advised to avoid urinals. The people either side of them tend to turn and exclaim, "You're so-and-so aren't you?"...quite forgetting where they're pointing.

I think most women who are celebrities would regard your well-meaning advice as being superfluous, old flower

[Serial_Apologist]

I bumped into the jazz pianist Keith Tippett in the Gents at a posh hotel where he had been playing. "They tell me this is the place where all the big nobs hang out", was all he said.

[Chris Newman]

When I worked at a library in Burlington House next to the Royal Academy part of our office suite was shared with Sir Mortimer Wheeler and Jacquetta Hawkes the eminent archeologists. Life was fun in the lift as Sir Mortimer was a Chelsea FC and always wanted to talk football; being a rugger-bugger I had to secretly read the sports page to keep up with him in case he started talking soccer. One day I was at the urinal when the great man entered still wearing his trademark Verdi hat and strode to the urinal next to me. I strained but being a nervous teenager I could not pee. Being nearly 80 neither could Sir Mortimer. I think we both grunted and suddenly he uttered:

"Oh! for Christ's sake go and turn the tap on and leave it running then we can both piss in peace!"

[amateur51]

When I worked at a library in Burlington House next to the Royal Academy part of our office suite was shared with Sir Mortimer Wheeler and Jacquetta Hawkes the eminent archeologists. Life was fun in the lift as Sir Mortimer was a Chelsea FC and always wanted to talk football; being a rugger-bugger I had to secretly read the sports page to keep up with him in case he started talking soccer. One day I was at the urinal when the great man entered still wearing his trademark Verdi hat and strode to the urinal next to me. I strained but being a nervous teenager I could not pee. Being nearly 80 neither could Sir Mortimer. I think we both grunted and suddenly he uttered:

"Oh! for Christ's sake go and turn the tap on and leave it running then we can both piss in peace!"

P for relief

Great story, Chris

[LeMartinPecheur]

I have been privileged to 'relieve my feelings' while standing shoulder to shoulder with Lawrence Power in the gents at the Hall for Cornwall. Does that count?

[gradus]

A friend used to see Rostropovich at the fish and chip shop in Snape - cod I think.

[gamba]

Bravo Gamba, keep 'em coming - please

Thank you salymap, I'll try.

[Don Petter]

chip shop in Snape - cod I think.

Most chip shops are!

[Nick Armstrong]

I have been privileged to 'relieve my feelings' while standing shoulder to shoulder with Lawrence Power in the gents at the Hall for Cornwall. Does that count?

Rubbernecker's erroneous recollection about a loo being the location for my meeting Muhammad Ali hasn't prevented the urinal theme swamping this thread!

Sorry, gamba!!

This doesn't sound the right Forum to mention it but taking a cue from Anna's reference to Ronnie Wood, I can't resist dropping in the evening and following day I spent in Copenhagen with the Rolling Stones... Bill Wyman talked about metal detecting, Keith Richards was ironing glitter onto his jeans, Ronnie Wood was painting, Charlie Watts complimented me on my suit and Mick Jagger was listening to Haydn piano trios in his hotel room "to take the ringin' out me ears".

It was quite a surreal 24 hours.

[salymap]

Thank you salymap, I'll try.

Gamba,completely off topic, I've listened to most of the Shakespeare's Restless World progs and am enjoying them.

Back on topic, which seems to have deteriorated a bit from the opening post IMHO

[Nick Armstrong]

Back on topic, which seems to have deteriorated a bit from the opening post IMHO