On Radio 3 as I get ready early for a long journey into town for a concert there is talk of music 'for solitude' or being alone. They play Knockin' on heaven's door - Bob Dylan's soundtrack for Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid one of my favourite films - love the music - but why is this music - in particular - for solitude? (Is this a trend? Music for something.... music for prayer.... music for solitude... Why not just - music? Why am I tired of labelling, packaging, bundles, people's 'top tens', what's in and what's out?)
(On solitude: one thing about travelling on your own: you are never alone. There is always someone to talk to - companions along the way. In the best sense like Chaucer's crew of travellers in The Canterbury Tales. At the very least someone to chat to on a bus. A journey itself has a trajectory which means engagement - a start and an end, even if the path is unplanned. )
Later on the Wigmore Hall at lunchtime hear two new songs composed by the baritone Roderick Williams (performed by him with the Britten Sinfonia Voices). Intrigued by the programme note by R.W. which suggests that one of the songs In his cups takes place against extraneous and distracting background noise '(of a loud pub for example)'.
So this is the opposite of music for solitude: music for a noisy place.
Alas no recordings yet of this - it is too new.For the second time in a week an amazing Schumann song (among others brilliantly delivered) - Auf einer Burg - '.... and the fair bride, she weeps'.
And .... a difficult journey home. It's raining so the walk through Kensington Gardens is quite poetic.
A continent and a world view away spot romance in Chevrolet's Super Bowl ad - featuring cowboys and a pick up truck - back to the Wild West and its mythologies. The punchline: 'Find new roads."
