Preludes & Fugues afore Mowing the Lawn

Again there are concerts at Bonneuil-Matours. This year I paid 15e subscription which entitles me to pay 15e for each concert instead of 22e. I thought I was vieillese at 7e ... Maybe I have that wrong! I am still young!  I will have to ask discreetly of the proprietor of the chateau and organiser of these wonderful concerts! Sometimes I am very happy to pay full price.
Last evening was a marathon concert of the 2nd book of 48 Preludes and Fugues by JS BACH. The pianist played two clavichords as well as piano. The clavichord is remarkably quiet and one imagined being in a tiny drawing room heavily curtained against a cold draught, with friends and family gathered around to listen or to play their turn or to be accompanied in song or other instrument.  The loudness of the piano was extreme after one's ears had become atuned to the delicate sound, akin to a hand held music box with a handle that turns ... a tinny sound!
I took my piano score. I heard this pianist play the 1st book. He played in order 1st, 2nd, 3rd on the piano, but last evening he played the second 24 in random order which kept me on my toes to find the correct prelude and fugue by listening to / reading the opening bars on the contents page ... with little light it was tricky. I realised I am well out of practice to score reading.  I remembered we had to read symphonic scores at secondary school and prove to the teacher the progress of the music by running our finger along the score.
A few  of the pieces I knew as I have attempted to play them. They are not easy. The pianist had good concentration, stamina, technique and ability.  A lecturer and teacher.  Kindly and humble. 
In the break we were offered a bowl of tomato soup... nice! I was reminded that I haven't had Heinz Tomato soup for years!  It was French and tomatoes were difficult to identify! There was also Chinese tea.. which tasted of licorice and maybe ginger but it was very weak...plus little pieces of the local biscuit Broyé.  I sampled the wine from a 2 litre bottle of Lussac St Emilion 2003... hm 'un peu vinaigré'... but it was better once I'd warmed it up in my chilly hands!  I left before the encore as I was tired and I'd had a traumatic day ... it had been three and a half hours since I arrived at 19h. Drove home, with only one car sighted travelling in the opposite direction!

My lawnmower has been repaired< The facture wasn't ready for payment so he said he would send it in the post. This is most unusual in France but he said he trusts me! The mower is about to launch into its 4th season and every winter I have paid about 85e for a service... the first year and last it hit stones so it needed the blade to be sharpened.  In the first year the lawn was newly growing or cut down from 3 feet of growth... and last year the moles were very bad at throwing up a lot of stone.  BUT this year I have had to have the more expensive service with a change of filter and new accelerator cable. I was ready for battle if he charges me for the latter!!!  It only mows about 500m2 each 7 to 14 days in the cutting season so I don't understand why it has been so needy!!!!!   The specialist shop where I bought it, has taken six weeks to repair it.  I would have liked it last week when the grass was dry and before that I was not well enough but the French aren't very quick with their turnarounds and business!  When I phoned on Thursday I was told it had just been finished! It is a John Deere machine. I think it was a Friday afternoon machine!  Hey ho and off to mow as soon as the weather improves.

This year at the end of my other terrain there is a heavy perfume from swathes of violets. They haven't been there before.  Maybe they have liked the grass kept short over the last five years. I try to keep it manageable.   My neighbour was impressed by their appearance.  I ought to spend more time down there in the evening as the garden bathes for longer in the setting sun than does my courtyard!