Schubert

Yesterday to the QEH, our first visit for maybe as long as 18 months (see March 28th 2011 at the other place), having lost the concerts booked for last winter, where we heard the Jerusalem Quartet (http://www.jerusalem-quartet.com/), supported by Gary Hoffman, doing the Quartettsatz (D703), Beethoven 18.6 and the Schubert quintet in C (D956). Excellent programme, with the Beethoven nicely poised between the two Schuberts, and an excellent concert. Slight faux-pas when some of the attendance thought to clap at the end of the third movement of the quintet. It was not clear whether this was the transatlantic custom (which I loathe) of clapping at all points or simply a mistake: one starts and the sheep follow. On this occasion I was a slightly puzzled sheep.

Some of the quiet moments in the first half were disturbed by the bracelet of the young lady sitting immediately behind me. She was quite young, of student age, and was fidgeting a bit, with the result that her large bracelet  tinkled. I was surprised at how irritated I was by the tinkling: ordinarily one can shut such distractions out, but I could not on this occasion and instead of listening to the music as I should have been, I was thinking murderous thoughts about the owner of the tinkle. But to be fair, when I suggested at the interval that she take it off for the second half, she was a bit stricken and removed the offending bracelet immediately.

I mourn the passing of the QEH of my younger days. A dignified concert hall, in quite large part given over to chamber music with a pleasant and spacious ante-chamber. A dignity which has been sacrificed on the twin altars of austerity and accessibility. Austerity meant, for example, that the toilet facilties are a bit tired and the disabled toilet was not working at all. Plus it was lurking inside what was otherwise a ladies toilet, necessitating a certain amount of explanation to worried ladies who thought I was lost. Accessibility meant, for example, that what was a pleasant ante-chamber is now cluttered up with a temporary stage - perhaps for rap performances to make the disaffected youth of Lambeth feel welcome - and a bunch of sofas giving the place the feel of a rather tatty Starbucks. As if we did not have more than enough of such places already. Plus various food outlets completing the tone. But there is hope: most of the similar rubbish has now been swept away from the concourse of nearby Waterloo Station, so perhaps the South Bank managers will get the idea.

I note in passing that the Israeli origins and name of the quartet have attracted the attentions of people who want to protest on behalf of the Palestinians, and their last few concerts in the this country have been disrupted. This resulted in more visible security than is the custom for the this venue but there was, in any event, no protest, at least not one which penetrated to the interior of the hall.