Inside St. Paul's, I saw Professor Philippides, along with her husband--I took a semester of Intermediate Greek with her... ah the "good old days"... I enjoyed learning Greek from her. She was sitting in the left center section, just a couple of rows off, but I didn't get a chance to talk to her. She and her husband soon left after the end of the concert, while I stayed behind to get CDs signed by Mr. Phillips.
I had brought some CDs with me for him to sign, but a new recording of Allegri's Miserere has been released by Gimell, and I picked up a copy of that. There were some fans waiting for him aftewards (the photo perhaps makes it look like he was mobbed). You can't tell from the photo, but Mr. Phillips was wearing a modern coat of a longer length, perhaps 3 to 4 inches longer? I liked the length, but I don't think the coat was as well-fitted as it should have been. The male singers were wearing black, and black modern coats of normal length. I was comparing their coats with Mr. Phillip's, and I do think his looked better overall, but theirs fit better.
The 2007-2008 concert series for the Boston Early Music Festival promises to be another good one. Jordi Savall returns, accompanied by Le Concert des Nations (another), the Greek Byzantine Choir, and the Academy of Ancient Music. And of course, the Tallis Scholars will be back. I didn't get a chance to ask Mr. Phillips if the group has ever performed in California. They do perform in New York City, at the Riverside Church.
Too bad I probably won't be in Boston... However, if I do leave Boston, I will try to catch the following:
- Sir Roger Norrington (Kanzaki) conducts the H&H Society, April 13 and 15
- Christophe Rousset, April 15
- Exsultemus, May 8 and 12
- Convivium Musicum, May 12
Apparently Mr. Rousset founded his own ensemble, Les Talens Lyriques. (Andate article)
Trio Mediaeval performs this coming Friday for the BEMF, but I don't know if I will go...
Misc:
website for Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, and Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
There were a couple of odd patrons, older women... pushy older women oblivious to the people around them? One of them brought food with her to the church, though I don't know if she was eating inside or if they were leftovers, or something else. Bizarre. There was a group of older women chatting and laughing rather loudly in the vestibule, before the concert. Apparently, the fact that there were other people waiting in the vestibule was of no concern to them. I haven't written my misanthrope's post yet, but that one is coming...
As far as I could tell, the Blessed Sacrament was not transferred for the concert--the sanctuary lamp was still burning. I have no idea what the priests of the parish were thinking, if they didn't transfer the Blessed Sacrament. Unnecessary? Inconvenient?
Earlier that afternoon I did go to Tokyo Kid and Schoenhof's. I also dropped by the Harvard Book Store--there were some copies of John Rawl's Political Liberalism on sale for $11.99, but I refrained from purchasing one. Maybe next time, if they are still there... I should have taken some photos of the JFK School of Government. Next time I am in Harvard Square... While I was walking towards Mt. Auburn Street I passed by Professor Christopher Bruell and his wife. I don't know him personally; he's a Straussian... I noted that he wasn't wearing a suit and tie.
I picked up the Holy Week schedule for St. Paul's. I am not sure if I will be going there for Easter Vigil, though it seems likely, unless I go to St. John's Seminary.
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