Sir Simon Rattle brought the London Symphony Orchestra to the Bath Forum to play Martinů’s Rhapsody-Concerto and Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony. Orchestral concerts here outside the two music festivals are a rarity. This one was organised as a gift to care homes and streamed to them. It was ‘staged by Bristol Beacon, with funding from the Culture Recovery fund, in anticipation of an ongoing artistic partnership with LSO when the venue reopens in 2023.’ So that is why Bath had this rare treat; it would have been in Bristol, I’m sure, had the hall been open there. My husband went and reported that this large venue was full.
The Bath Recitals series has also resumed and he went to a recital given by the Albany Trio at St Michael’s Church, of music by Beethoven again, Judith Bingham, Turina and Dvořák’s ‘Dumky’ trio . It’s good that concert life is resuming without bringing with it the need to travel far.