Trip to Birmingham

View along Colmore Row, near the cathedral in Birmingham. My first visit to the city centre except for perhaps visits with parents or grandparents when I was little.

It was interesting to look round, and the new library due to open in a year or two looks very impressive. It was also good to see the developments along the canal system near the NIA (National Indoor Arena).

The main reason was to attend a concert at the Symphony Hall, which was superb in every way. The venue is stunning. Peter Donohoe was the soloist in Rachmaninov Piano Concereto no 3, with an orchestra from St Petersburg (Leningrad). Wonderful performance of great music in the romantic style. The orchestra then provided an epic 70th anniversary performance of the Leningrad Symphony (no 7) by Shostakovich, written in the city when it was under siege. (The composer was eventually evacuated, but the first performance was in the city in dreadful circumstances). Altogether an amazing experience. The huge climax in the first movement, and the end of the finale were powerful.