Robin's Return and Francis Poulenc

Robin has arrived home from Boston, in remarkably good spirits, despite the overnight flight.
He had to hang about at the airport for a while, as I was stuck in rush hour traffic, having deposited two children at school, at the earliest opportunity.
In fact we had to wait for them to unlock the door, and the lollipop man thought he was hallucinating, when he saw us arrive at 8am. (We are usually the ones running through the gates at the last minute...)

However, I eventually made it through the traffic, and whisked Robin away from the airport.
Amazingly he had his suitcase!! (Read earlier posts for the various lost luggage problems we have had.)

Once home we enjoyed the chance to sit and chat, face to face, over coffee. After catching up with nautical tales Robin asked to see the post that had arrived in his absence.
I knew that this would be the point that I lost him to the music room.
A package had arrived, in his absence, containing music.
Robin had ordered it before he went away, and, as predicted, couldn't resist going off to play through it.

The piece is 'Sarabande', by Francis Poulenc, which is dedicated to Ida Presti.
It's a short, but beautiful piece of music, that Robin played many years ago, and wanted to revisit.
It is also the only guitar piece that Poulenc wrote, composed in New York, March, 1960.

For me, well, it was just so nice to hear the guitar playing around the house again.

Robin Hill Arrives in Boston and Classical Music Blogs...

Robin was unable to get a 'phone signal, in Bar Harbor, hence the lack of communication.
He did however email me to say how nice it is there.
He was impressed to find a very pleasant cafe, which played nothing but opera, with signed photographs of various opera singers decorating the walls.
As he was enjoying his coffee with the soprano, Annette Wardell, it was particularly appropriate.

The QE2 has now arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, another first for Robin, and he will be setting off for home later today.

As Robin's guitar concerts have all been performed, and he has nothing to report but the packing of his suitcase, it allows me time to refer you to some new Links.

The Canadian pianist, Chris Foley, has been working very hard.
Many blogs have been acknowledging his efforts, and rightly so.
Not only is he running, 'The Collaborative Piano Blog', which I have recently discovered, and have now added to my links section, but, he has also put together a classical music blogs pagecast.
Basically, he has taken all the leg work out of looking around for classical music blogs, with just one click of a button.

So, to look at old favourites, or, to discover some new sites, take a few minutes to check out, 'Chris Foley's Pageflakes'.

Meanwhile, lets hope that Robin manages to arrive home, with his suitcase this time....

Bar Harbor, Maine and David Juritz on a Unicycle...

The QE2 is about to dock at Bar Harbor, Maine, USA, but I haven't heard anything from Robin as yet, so I assume he is still sleeping.
I'm pretty sure he will be going ashore, to have a look around, as it is another 'first' for him.

Whilst waiting for news from abroad, I decided to check in on David Juritz's epic journey, as he busks his way around the world.
Since I last looked, he has been touring extensively around Africa, Australia, briefly back in the UK, and is currently in the USA/Canada.
Robin and David will miss each other by 10 days, in Boston, but I did notice that they will both be in New York at the same time later on in October.
Who knows, maybe they will bump into each other, and form a busking duo!
For more details about David's trip, and the charity, Musequality, visit his site, 'Round the World and Bach'.

At some point David did find time to make this very funny film, which highlights just how mad musicians can be!
I do hope his violin was insured, but even so, it's a very brave thing to do.
I can't see Robin attempting this with his Miguel Rodriquez guitar, but, you never know...

On the Way To.....

It's not that we are blase about Robin's travels abroad, but I had a rather amusing 'phone call from him yesterday, after he had settled in on board the QE2.

"Where am I going?" was the question.
I couldn't help but laugh.
The itinerary we get for these trips contain only flight details.
So, on this occasion, we knew he was flying to Heathrow, and would then be collected, and taken to Southampton.
We also know, that his return flight is from Boston, Massachusetts.
As to where he was going in between was something of a mystery.

Normally, one of my jobs is to check countries to be visited, partly out of interest, and partly because I need to know whether travel injections are required, or visas, and even, what type of clothing to pack.
But it has been so busy here.
We did know that it would be mainly around North America, so no new visas or immunisations were needed.
Consequently I didn't look any further.
I did mean to, but, the time just ran out.
However, to save Robin any embarrassment when talking to other people on board, I thought he should at least have some idea where he was going!

As it turns out, it is a trip of 'firsts'.
This is quite rare these days, as Robin has been touring the world for 35 years, playing his guitar, either as part of the Hill/Wiltschinsky Guitar Duo, or as a soloist, so there aren't many places left that he hasn't been to.
But on this trip , he is going to a few places, and one country, for the first time.
You'll have to keep checking in to find out where...

By the time I'd discovered this, we were out of contact, except via e mail.
So I sent the details off, and this morning, had a delighted reply.
I do hope he isn't going to sack his PA for poor planning....