Set-up

It's very unusual for me to see the market before it opens. I was on my way to meet a friend for an early morning coffee in Witney where she introduced me to a good walk by the river accessible from the middle of town.

Back in Oxford I went to a playground to meet an almost-four-year-old I haven't seen for two years. I think he recognised me. At least he played with me and by the time we'd spent a couple of hours together he was quite happy to sit on my lap.

This evening I stewarded for the European premiere of Andrew Davis's re-orchestration of Messiah. In part 1 I was following the score and getting frustrated that all the choir dynamics were blown to pieces by having to sing over the loud, bright orchestra. In Parts 2 and 3 I decided to give in and let the wall of sound hit me. Along with all the usual instruments there were celeste, harp, snare-drum, tambourine... Actually it was quite fun, even when the tinkling celeste made me think Father Christmas was about to turn up on stage. At the end I saw someone leaving with a bongo-drum. I hadn't identified that individually but it wouldn't surprise me.

Super-critical review of this arrangement here though most of the audience and the singers were grinning as they left.