Unforgettable trip to Boat of Garten for Fripp

A recital in Boat of Garten by concert pianist Ashley Fripp was unforgettable – for Ashley Fripp!

The special guest of The Osprey Music Society had no option after a journey from hell on Halloween but to walk onto the stage for the performance in jeans and penguin socks.

He confessed: "Before I begin, I just need to play some Schubert. I need to calm down, forget the stresses of the day..."

Fripp also needed to accustom himself, as best he could, to a new piano – one he had had no time whatsoever to rehearse on.

It was actually the virtuoso's second appearance in Boat of Garten but it had been a trip and a half getting back.

For all that, he played with great fluidity, moving on from his restorative Schubert to Mozart and Adès before the interval.

Apart from concentrating on his performance, he took time to explain the structure and nature of each piece to the audience – which was really appreciated by the less musically educated.

The interval was a little longer than usual, during which Fripp managed to have a cup of tea and some food, plus time to change into his performance clothes.

When he stepped back onto the stage in best bib and tucker, he was rightly hailed with rapturous applause.

"I think I’ll have to be late more often!” Fripp quipped.

As in the first half, he preceded each piece with a preamble to explain the background and characteristics of the music and the composer.

The main element of the second half was a Chopin Sonata, and he described the second movement as, “just two minutes long, but there are an awful lot of notes”!

Well, there were an awful lot of notes to be mastered throughout his performance, with no opportunity whatsoever to practise during the day.

The evening was quite outstanding in all aspects.

The audience loved both his playing and his character and organiser Ann Napier has promised her best endeavours to entice him back on a regular basis.

The planned schedule:

Depart Manchester for Inverness, morning flight Thursday 31 October, ready for concert in Boat of Garten at 7.30pm.

Will arrive Boat of Garten for afternoon practice, settle into hotel, have something to eat before performance...

The actual schedule:

5.15am: clamber out of bed and head to airport for morning flight to Inverness – flight cancelled, fog

5pm: still waiting, phone to say 'don’t cancel the concert, will be there but will have to start later than scheduled

5.15pm: audience informed by email of later start time

7pm: first off the plane, luggage first on the carousel – thank you Loganair!

7.10pm: driven post haste to Boat of Garten

8.02pm: enter Boat of Garten Community Hall to huge applause, take off coat, drink glass of water

8.10pm: walk on stage, in jeans and penguin socks!

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