AlanHo Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 We went to a Valentines concert at the Birmingham Symphony Hall last evening – a collection of romantic classical music by composers such as Mahler, Rachmaninov, Mendelsohn, Tchaikovsky, Elgar, Puccini, Offenbach and Strauss played by the London Concert Orchestra conducted by John Pryce-Jones. It was wonderful.I was accompanied by my partner Barbara and a friend from Bristol called Maria who is staying with us for a few days. We arrived early for the concert and sat chatting in the bar area enjoying a quiet gin and tonic before the performance. On the table we had three drinks in tall glasses and three part full bottles of tonic water. Barbara, in her enthusiasm to emphasise a point in the discussion, waved her arm and caught one of the glasses with a flailing hand. Things then went into slow motion – Maria tried to grab the glass as it fell – she failed miserably - but succeeded in knocking over the open tonic bottles and another drink which all toppled in my direction. Across the table came an unstoppable tidal wave of gin, tonic and ice cubes with a table mat doing a fair impression of surf riding. The wave surged across the table and turned into Niagara Falls just above my lap. I am fortunate in having the reflexes of a cat and having seen the accident in slow motion, I was already rising from my seat to try and get out of the way - but the wave struck me full in the lap. I caught my knees under the table and bounced back into the seat. The timing was impeccable – I was clear of the seat for the optimum time to allow the flood to pour between my legs and pool on the chair – which I then sat down in. Laurel and Hardy could have done no better.The ladies scurried about mopping me and the table up with some paper towelling before we proceeded to the concert hall - with me looking and walking like a child who has had a dreadful accident. The only blessing I could think of was that we had decided on gin and tonic rather than red wine.I always thought that gin and tonic were quite watery substances – they are not. In fact as they dry they become decidedly sticky and an intense irritant with an innate preponderance to get into the most intimate of places. Watching a concert of romantic music with the worst itch in the nether regions you have ever experienced - but being too polite to have a good scratch in public - is the stuff nightmares are made of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Sounds like you had fun. Let me guess at the Mahler. If it was just an extract from a symphony, I would guess at Symphony No.five, fourth movement, the adagio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thos Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 The performance in the bar sounds better than the concert. You should sell tickets for your next show.Thos. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchful Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Was Orpheus in the Underworld on the programme? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanHo Posted February 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Rachmaninov - Piano Concert No 2Mendelssohn - The Hebrides OverturePuccini - Intermezzo from Manon LescautStrauss - Blue Danube WaltzOffenbach - Overture from Orpheus in the nderworldMahler - Adagietto from Symphony No 5Tchaikovsky - Capriccio Italien Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Rachmaninov - Piano Concert No 2Mendelssohn - The Hebrides OverturePuccini - Intermezzo from Manon LescautStrauss - Blue Danube WaltzOffenbach - Overture from Orpheus in the nderworldMahler - Adagietto from Symphony No 5Tchaikovsky - Capriccio ItalienThought it would be. GORGEOUS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deuces wild Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 OMG. Sorry to read about your misfortune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rong Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 OMG. Sorry to read about your misfortune.Yes but how long did it take you to get up of the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deuces wild Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rong Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Laughing to much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deuces wild Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 I did not find it funny. Did you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rong Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 SO DID I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bvw Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 My sister-in-law and my niece are forever knocking drinks over...wherever we go. I keep well clear of them these days since taking two glasses of J2O full in the lap a couple of years ago. They do it all the time... but it's never them who get wet :) The only time they suffered was on a flight to Rome some time ago, when they were sat together :D Red wine and a tray of food went all over them! To make matters worse my niece, or rather the airline, lost her suitcase on that trip and she was stuck in those clothes all day :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tankus Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Bit of Handel ...would have been more apt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r4may Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Sounds like a great Concert; shame about the interval :: :P :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 oh dear! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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