Pianist Envy?

How does this classical guitarist relax?
The answer:
He plays the piano of course...
Just when I thought Robin had finished music making for the evening, this is what I found:



Robin is actually playing a piece he composed for piano and orchestra called 'Three Van Gogh Portraits.'
In this photograph he is playing the first movement, 'The Journey South', which depicts Van Gogh's train journey from Paris to Arles.
I wish you could hear it as it's one of my favourite movements.
However, you can hear the second movement, as I put it on the blog back in May.
Click here to read more about it and listen again.

From Microphones to Britain's Leading Concert Pianist - Stephen Hough

It's a very exciting time here, as Robin has been testing out microphones, and, so far, one in particular, seems to be capturing the beautiful sound his Miguel Rodriguez guitar makes. For the first stage of testing, this is very encouraging, as the guitar is a notoriously difficult instrument to record.
The down side is that Robin remains elusive as to the cost. From experience, this tells me, that I should go and lie down in a darkened room, with a cold compress on my forehead, for at least an hour, before I ask him again.

Meanwhile in the wider world, the virtuoso pianist Stephen Hough, has been barred from performing a concert in Vietnam, 'for his own safety'.
It's such a shame when politics/religion/sexuality or whatever, get in the way of people being able to enjoy music.
But also a reminder to us all, that we should be careful what we say, as we never know when it may come back to haunt us.
For the full report, by Ben Quinn, click here.