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Post by postscript on Sept 25, 2006 9:03:36 GMT
That's a fascinating picture Dave, the one you captioned, 'the orchestra plays while it sleeps'!
Peter S.
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Post by postscript on Sept 25, 2006 9:17:08 GMT
Hi Drew, I'm sorry I don't know any more about Chloe... we'll have to await Andrew's report i fear... when he comes down of the 'high' he must still be on! Hi Peter, thanks for a superb report... including, as I fully expected, the details that I simply could not get into (or remember!) at 3 am last night! Hi Graeme! Thanks for your compliments! I fear that I cannot match the sheer technical excellence or number of the Hayter brothers' amazing close up and high quality portrait shots (thanks Steve and Stuart!) so I tend to go for the broader view... sitting further back where I can get medium quality images that show, I hope, the setting but with less detail of Hayley herself. I also try for things like entrances, exits and other "https://i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gififferent" angles... with varying degrees of success. Capturing moving targets in a Concert Hall without flash is no easy task! But I hope I am betting better at it And Mark! It was great to meet you with your wife and daughter... we did look for you afterwards and I was sorry that you were unable to stay behind. I hope we will see you again soon! I know all about the perils of "the last train" though, when it got to 11:20pm I realised that i needed the services of our resident "London Expert" Richard to get to Waterloo Station in time for my ttrain 25 minutes later... and he got me there in 20 minutes, thanks Richard! Last but not least (really! ) Hi Roger! I know this is potentially off topic and I could find myself in hot water with Richard but I must mention something that YOU mentioned in another thread! Hayley told us she had been reading the "Best Dress" thread and I was not only surprised but delighted, too! Her comment that "I must get some new dresses" especially made me chuckle to myself. Roger, by starting that thread, you could end up costing "our Hayley" some serious money! And, lest we should forget, Hayley doesn't limit herself to the "Welcome" board when visiting here... so watch what you say, you lot! Wow, what a great evening it was!!!! Cheers, Dave O Dave, what a mountain of thought in this one post! First, thank you for your compliments and 'yes'.. I was tempted when I first arrived home, hence the switching on of the laptop, that I had a chance to be first in but I put my health first needing my beauty sleep, so I guessed you or Roger would be the first post, or possibly Richard, since he had least distance to travel--but then perhaps the internet café isn't an all night job, eh Richard? What I loved, which I think brings out the whole nature of HWI, is the way we all instinctively work round one another, respecting our various strengths and aiming to complement each other's contribution. You feel you can bring in ( which you do) the wider picture or different angle. I don't bother with a camera as i know so many are there far more able than I at the moment and in my wrtiing I deliberately left out our congregating before and afterwards as I knew others would highlight these in their own reports. HWI as a whole makes a really good instinctive team. Peter S.
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Post by scoobedoo on Sept 25, 2006 9:17:22 GMT
Thanks for the link Richard much appreciated. That sounds like a good idea for Hayley,and if you think about it it's not a silly idea either. You never know what lies ahead, it could happen cheers, Rodders
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Post by drew on Sept 25, 2006 10:08:36 GMT
That's a fascinating picture Dave, the one you captioned, 'the orchestra plays while it sleeps'! Peter S. Did anyone get a picture of the expression on the orchestra's faces when Tomotaka did his rousing solo finale? I honestly thought that one of the violinists was about to have a fit.
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Steve H
Global Moderator
HWI Management Team / Official Site Photographer & Videographer
Posts: 1,756
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Post by Steve H on Sept 25, 2006 12:29:22 GMT
Hi Everybody, Here are some photographs of Hayley after the concert.
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Steve H
Global Moderator
HWI Management Team / Official Site Photographer & Videographer
Posts: 1,756
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Post by Steve H on Sept 25, 2006 12:43:53 GMT
Here is a photo of Hayley with Thomas. ....... and Hayley with Jeff ...... and Andrew deep in conversation with Thomas Steve H
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Post by roger on Sept 25, 2006 12:56:49 GMT
...I guessed you or Roger would be the first post... Peter S. Hi Peter, Thank you for your confidence but on this occasion, I was unlikely to be the first to get online. That honour was never likely to be mine as I didn't get home until 9 o'clock the following morning! In case anyone is wondering, I spent a most enjoyable night in Gatwick airport with Andrew while he awaited his flight back to Edniburgh. It seems there is now a local shortage of cappuccino! Roger
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Post by roger on Sept 25, 2006 13:02:34 GMT
What I loved, which I thibk brings out the whole nature of HWI, is the way we all instinctively work round one another, respecting our various strengths and aiming to complement each other's contribution. Peter S. Thank you, Peter. That is a very pleasing and I believe accurate observation. I recently learned of a forum (with which I have no connection) whose members constantly strive to compete with one another with their technical knowledge and photographic skills. Here, everyone goes out of their way to be more than helpful and really work together as a team. The benefits are the source of great enjoyment by all. Roger
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Post by Jeff on Sept 25, 2006 13:45:45 GMT
It was good to see so many old friends and I thought I'd have a go at doing a review myself. I must say I was extremely impressed on my first visit to Cadogan hall, a converted church yes, but an intimate venue in which to enjoy great music in plush surroundings ! Like many others, I felt the first half had to be endured rather than enjoyed. The Emperor Concerto is Beethoven's finest and longest piano concerto and deserved half the concert in its own right. I know concerts usually start with an overture but Fidelio and Chopin's Revolutionary Etude and Liszt 's La Campanella to end made the half 1 hour 10 minutes long.
I am very bad at guessing people's ages, especially oriental women yet I have to admit as soloist Ingrid Fuzjko Hemming walked slowly onto the stage I found myself wondering what age she might be. MC Sandy Burnett (he of Radio 3) later told us of her tragic misfortune as a high fever led to almost total deafness just as her career was blossoming. It says much for the woman's courage and strength of character that she has since built a successful recording career for herself and her delivery of the concerto was assured, my favourite slow movement unhurried (unlike some pianists who take the opening notes far too fast) but understandably with little use of the soft pedal so quiet passages were a little louder than usual.
I think we were all glad to see the interval. A chance for a breath of air on a warm evening and for me, a glass of impressively expensive orange juice ! Some wise people brought their own drink ! Part Two opened with a change of programme. Aled Jones had been replaced by All Angels, a group of four girls, three 16, one 17. Steve Abbott had tipped us off before the show but to the audience this was a surprise. However as the young ladies took to the stage I didn't hear anyone complaining ! They sang 2 numbers, the second of which will be familiar to all Fleetwood Mac fans. I have the original Songbird on my LP Rumours from 1977. You know you're getting old when you hear some teenagers sing a song you yourself bought as a teenager nearly 30 years ago !! This was All Angels debut public appearance, as evidenced by their rather coy acceptance of the audience's appreciation, but these girls clearly have a bright future ahead of them and should be followed with interest, although of course no-one could ever replace Hayley in our affections. They may even ask her for some tips. Yet she remarked in typically modest fashion after the show: "What do I know?"
All Angels were clad in angelic white. I was hoping to see a blue dress at some point during the evening but I never expected to see a man wearing it ! Tomotaka Okamoto is a so-called Sopranista which is basically a man who can sing as high as a woman. Now call me old fashioned but a man should sound like a man and a woman like a woman. When we asked Hayley her opinion she said, diplomatic as always "His voice comes as a surprise." You can say that again ! This was crossover gone too far. What he certainly has is an ear-splitting power in the high register. I was seated no more than 8 feet from him (nice earring, blue to match the dress !) and at the high points of Mozart's Exultate Jubilate I found myself looking nervously at the ceiling lights, wondering if the glass would shatter and come showering down on us. (Katherine Jenkins once achieved this feat. Maybe they should duet and see who can break the most light bulbs !). Throughout his performance his face beamed with pleasure, or was it relief that he hadn't been born 300 years ago, thereby escaping a certain medical procedure ?! We were only there for Hayley of course but it would be fair to say that among the Japanese concert-goers, of whom there were many, he stole the show as evidenced by the number waiting outside the hall at the end. But we Hayley fans still outnumbered them !
When half-way through the second part of the concert a young unshaven chap with faded jeans and an old teeshirt strolled onto the stage, I assumed a student out on a pub crawl must have taken a wrong turning but then I noticed he was carrying a violin. This was David Garrett who has appeared with Yehudi Menuhin no less and had a recording contract at the age of 12. You don't see many classical violinists with tattoos but appearances can be deceptive as the young man showed his mastery of the instrument in The Flight of the Bumble Bee. Nevertheless as we had made an effort to dress in a manner appropriate to the event, it seemed a shame he couldn't. Even the stagehands were better attired. When he later returned for Monti's Czardas, always a show-stopper, he had put on a jacket. Well, it was London Fashion Week as he said !
(To be continued tomorrow at 9.30 am !)
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Post by postscript on Sept 25, 2006 14:08:50 GMT
Hi Steve, thank you for more lovely pictures. Just for treh record, the rose I am wearing was pretty senseless but pretyy pretty as a rose. It wasn 't teh real one. i was determiend to have a rose and it be pink and the lady at whatever at Peter Jones made me such a superb buttonhole that it is stll sitting on my desk looking bloming lovely. However, Drew assures the real Hayley Westenra rose has a superb scent.
In fact, I am thinking of having a word with my neighbour and gainig ntheir agreement to open a side plot alongside my maisonette so can put in say 4 to 6 bushes, they don't want to be too crowded. Then I wkill be able to have a rose (except in winter) for every Hayley concert. I wodner if a bush would grpw indoors so i could change the seasons for it and have it flowering in wint er?
Peter S.
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Post by postscript on Sept 25, 2006 14:13:01 GMT
Hi Steve, thank you for more lovely pictures. Just for the record, the rose I am wearing was pretty scentless but pretty as a rose. It wasn the real one. I was determined to have a rose and it be pink and the lady at whatever at Peter Jones made me such a superb buttonhole that it is stll sitting on my desk looking bloming lovely. However, Drew assures the real Hayley Westenra rose has a superb scent.
In fact, I am thinking of having a word with my neighbour and gainig their agreement to open a side plot alongside my maisonette so I can put in say 4 to 6 bushes, they don't want to be too crowded. Then I will be able to have a rose (except in winter) for every Hayley concert. I wodner if a bush would grpw indoors so I could change the seasons for it and have it flowering in winter?
Peter S.
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Post by drew on Sept 25, 2006 14:13:48 GMT
Sorry to interrupt your flow Jeff but I thought that the script which accompanied this picture deserved a mention. J: "My name's Jill, J I L L." H: "That's my mum's name."
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Post by postscript on Sept 25, 2006 14:45:55 GMT
Welcome Jeff to the ranks of the literati with your first review! A review running into several parts--now I wonder who gave you that idea?! Peter S.
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Post by Richard on Sept 25, 2006 15:59:09 GMT
Hello again everybody! Brace yourselves and click HERE, if you dare! Richard
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Steve H
Global Moderator
HWI Management Team / Official Site Photographer & Videographer
Posts: 1,756
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Post by Steve H on Sept 25, 2006 17:02:34 GMT
Hi Folks, I have been having trouble with imageshack.us , which means some of images have been dissapearing, so I apologise if there are any duplications. Two posts have dissapeared all together, so I will start by reposting them. Steve H
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