Subscribe to The Spectator

Saturday 26 May 2012

Latest issue

Buy the current issue

 iPAD

                iPHONE

PRINT

               KINDLE

My Spectator

Jobs at Telegraph

Send your comments on Clive's blog posts to clivecomments@aol.com

Before the Ninth

Sunday, 16th November 2008

Pure Sunday self-indulgence, this. After reading Boris Johnson's rapturous thoughts on Beethoven's Choral Symphony (not music to Iain Dale's ears) and then mulling over Sarfraz Mansoor's article "The Only Asian in the Audience", I discovered that one of the items on the programme that evening was the Choral Fantasia, precursor to the Ode to Joy.  I used to have an old and warped LP version by Alfred Brendel, but gave it away when I cleared out my vinyl. I never did get round to buying a CD replacement. and I've never heard the piece played live. Which led me to wander through into trusty old YouTube, where I found the Proms performance by Hélène Grimaud and the BBC SO conducted by Roger Norrington. Magical. (It's in two parts, btw).

   Previous Back to Clive Davis   Next 

Blogs: Martin Bright | Alex Massie | Melanie Phillips | Coffee House | Faith Based

Actions: Print this article  |  Email to a friend  |  Permalink  

Post this entry to:   del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit

About Clive Davis
Cartoons

Search this blog

Clive Davis blog archive

sponsored links

Spectator recommends

Spectator classifieds

THE PRESENT FINDER

1,700 Unusual Christmas Presents Request Catalogue 01935 815 195 Quote SPEC10 for 10% discount www.presentfinder.co.uk

OLIVE BRANCH FLORISTS

Pimilco based Florist with online ordering Web: www.olivebranch.net Tel: 020 7630 1868 Fax: 020 7233 8844

RUFFS Bespoke Signet rings

62 Shore Road, Warsash, Southampton, SO31 9FT Telephone: 01489 578867 Web site: www.ruffs.co.uk