Go out with a bang

Had a bit of a lie in then a dash over to the Usher Hall to see an open rehearsal for tonight’s concert….the Simon Bolivar Orchestra conducted by one of my favourites Gustavo Dudamel. I really like seeing the rehearsals, you get a real sense of how the conductor works and things to listen out for later in the main concert.
Home and drove straight over to meet A at Cafe Soutra which is half way between her house and Edinburgh. Lots to catch up on about her holiday, work, new Masters course coming up, festival stuff etc etc. I enjoyed smoked salmon and scrambled egg and she had a toastie and a scone then we left and I came home to tidy, prepare some aubergine parmigiana for supper and relax a bit before DF arrived from her cruise around the western isles. We had our quick supper then walked over to the Usher Hall for the concert.
Fabulous evening…. Jorge Glem (in the red hat at the front of the rehearsal picture) played the Cuatro (a sort of mandolin/small guitar) virtuosically in the second of two Venezuelan pieces, received enthusiastically by the audience and there were several holding up Venezuelan flags. He did an encore of incredible flair. After the interval was Mahler’s 1st symphony which played to the strengths of the orchestra with the huge emotional sections, the light dance and birdsong parts and the tremendous sense of this very large group being absolutely together, all glued to the figure of Dudamel who conducted the whole thing without a score, just seemingly having the music inside him. It brought back a strong memory of sitting in the choir stalls watching him conduct the LA philharmonic in 2019. Wish I’d been in the same seats tonight…he’s spectacular to watch when facing him. Not surprising the whole of that seated section leapt to their feet to applaud at the end and stayed standing.
There were several very vivacious encores with them all wearing sashes with their national colours, which had the audience laughing and cheering and roaring for more. Dudamel walked amongst the orchestra applauding them in turn rather than standing on the podium and taking the applause himself (the bottom photo was him introducing the first encore)
Bumped into CK as I left and saw others I knew from afar, then we walked back and as we went the tattoo was at its end and we were treated to a shower of fireworks…fitted the mood!
Well that’s it done for me….another festival period over, and it’s been a good one!