One way or another, I’ve done quite well out of the BBC today. As well as waking me up earlier today, they also supplied me with free tickets to see the BBC Concert Orchestra playing film music by Michael Nyman at the Royal Festival Hall this evening.
Nyman himself was conducting, with a full range of music from Gattaca, The Claim, The Draughtman’s Contract, Prospero’s Books, and of course The Piano featuring Nyman himself.
The music’s wonderful, and it was slightly unusual to hear full orchestral arrangements of it. When I was living in Bath, I heard Michael Nyman give a concert there once with his band as part of the Bath Festival. I think that I probably enjoyed this even more. The music in particular from Gattaca is sensational, and everyone loves The Piano, even if I find it hard to rewatch the film these days.
Radio 3 is broadcasting the concert next Monday, and I’ll certainly be recording it for posterity.