Dutilleux and Sibelius

Just a couple of lasting impressions from yesterday evening's concert. The programme paired Berstein's Chichester Psalms and Sibelius' 5th. Symphony with two new works. One was by 89-year old composer Henri Dutilleux and the other by a young Englishman Julian Anderson. Before the concert Anderson interviewed Dutilleux and what a modest, amusing man he seemed. Knowing little of modern music, even I was aware that Dutilleux is a famous name, but I loved the way he matter-of-factly talked in fractured English about being at the premiere of Peter Grimes, getting commissions from Rostropovich and the like. Utterly charming.

His piece Correspondances wasn't really to my taste but you couldn't help feeling some warmth towards it having listened to its engaging composer. Anderson's Khorovod was a much more raucous affair... The Chichester Psalms (which I didn't know) were lovely and Sibelius' granite-like symphony was as impressive as ever, but I suspect that it was the image of that little old Frenchman which will stay in my memory.

We went for a meal afterwards in a restaurant in nearby Brindley Place. The food was just right for a post-concert supper and the service was impeccably efficient. The lasting memory here though will be of feeling old, old, old - the noisy, smokey bar was a packed with Birmingham's monied youth and I felt very out of place. Leaving the car park we turned into Broad Street to find it jammed in each direction and to be awash with club-bound revellers (and good natured police). All this at a time when I'm normally getting my Horlicks ready and wondering if I can stay awake to finish the chapter!