Wigmore Hall 15 for 12 offer

Tonight, Christoph Prégardien and Michael Gees gave a fantastic recital at the Wigmore Hall. I'm writing it up now, listening to CDs of the songs in the exceptionally well planned programme. Many in this audience were long-term Wigmore Hall stalwarts who know the Lieder repertoire  practically by heart, yet found something new to discover . The Wigmore Hall built its reputation on concerts like these. Prégardien sang Wolf, Schubert and Schumann but also Loewe, Lachner, Lizst, Gees and Killmayer, proving that the Lieder tradition is alive and well. I reflected on what the Wigmore Hall has meant to me over the years.

When I first started going, an elderly couple befriended me. They'd known Arnold Schoenberg, personally! He was closer to their parents but they knew him, nonetheless before he (and they) went into exile. Tonight was, for me, a moment of reflection. William Lyne was sitting in his usual seat: he who discovered Prégardien when he was starting out.  Others too, were there, equally precious and treasured.  As the years roll by, they've grown older and greyer but their minds are still sharp, stimulated by intelligent music  even into their 90's. My Dad used to say "Stop learning and you die".

This month, the Wigmore Hall is offfering 15 months' Friends membership for the price of 12.  Most people assume that being a "Friend" means advanced booking privileges etc. But what kind of "friend" would you be to anyone if you were only there for material advantages?  I'm a Friend because I care about what the Wigmore Hall does, for chamber music, Lieder and art song. More details here. 

photo Stephen McKay