House Wives' Choice....

I love Radio 4. I love the way it makes you listen and learn about things that if anyone had said in the first instance that you'd be fascinated by how the flatulence of sparrows is becoming an invisible threat in our cities, you'd never believe it. But it hooks you in and you enter an entirely different world. An alternative world where sparrows fart wantonly.
Well, there was none of that the other morning when I was lured into Desert Island Discs (to which I have listened from childhood onwards, at Roy Plomley's knee) by the unmistakable tones of Tom Hanks. If you get a chance to listen on catch up then please give yourself a treat.
For anyone unfamiliar with the format, the guest is invited to share six records (I love that the wording has not been changed since its origin) which will all have resonating meaning for him when he is stranded on a desert island. It is a wonderful way of exploring, very briefly, a life through musical connections. It was a moving experience as Tom Hanks described his childhood; at one point there was radio silence as he struggled to express his reason for choosing a particular track. It was a poignant and uplifting programme.

It was an entirely different musical programme last night, when we went to see Jose Carreras in the Royal Albert Hall. A Life in Music is a celebration of his life through a range of musical pieces. He was joined by Celine Byrne (from Dublin) and Margarita Gritoskova (from St Petersburg). It was an unforgettable evening. Unlike, Tom Hanks's selection, where everything was familiar, this was to opera novices like us, an introduction to a number of pieces that were unfamiliar.
In the space of two days I have had two very different musical experiences; I feel privileged to have heard both.
And no, in case you're wondering, I didn't sing along with Jose. He seemed to be doing very nicely without me.

The start of a two year tour..