Mozart at St. Martin's

Last night I went along to see a night of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert at St. Martin in the Fields, the gorgeous church on Trafalgar Square.

The church is intimate with a very light interior, not at all dreary or serious. In place of the usual stained glass, the window is a strikingly modern abstract cross-style design that melds gloriously with the atmosphere of the church. It was created earlier this year to replace the existing window of stained glass that shattered during WW2. It is a stunning fusion of contemporary art and classical architecture by
Shirazeh Houshiary, a female Iranian artist, and was redesigned along with the rest of the main interior. In the evening, the center of the abstract cross glows opalescently, providing a gorgeous backdrop for the performance.

And the music did not disappoint. The acoustics were incredible, prompting me to close my eyes and simply enjoy. The highlights of the evening, for me, were the Beethoven Romance and the main Mozart Symphony in G minor. Being a pianist means that I tend to be drawn to the more emotive, evocative pieces from the likes of Beethoven, Rachmaninoff and Debussy but I have to say that I appreciated and enjoyed the Mozart symphony, more so than I have in the past, particularly the 1st and 3rd movements.

I hope to return to see either a choral concert or piano concerto in the future. I have a hankering to hear Rach's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini in a live setting....