Baths today. Lovely swim! Went to my rehearsal tonight. No.2, the Mozart, was delightful. The solo was played by a strong leonine lady in a masculine and masterly fashion, and without mannerisms. The programme cost me 3 cigarettes, as I had no small change. (Bystanders much amused).
No.3. This piece recently composed by a Rhinelander was tonight performed for the first time. Probably clever music, but it didn’t seem to grip one. No.4. This big symphony by Bruchner is a remarkable work. It is full of surprises – throws thunder and lightning at you, bludgeons you with sound at one moment, and rubs ointment on the bruise in the next, eventually lulling and pacifying the somewhat perplexed brain with a long massage, tying and untying it in soft easily resolved loops and bows, gently lassoing and releasing it, running smooth instruments through its intricate coils – in fact, putting its tangled and tawny masses into musical curling pins. I was much indebted to a fair-haired young fraulein who spoke some English, and helped me understand things – rewarding her with a hunk of butterscotch. I told her how the hun children plague us for “chocoladen”, and she said “Yes, and also the ladies – I mean the wrong-women. I shall not be the wrong-woman”. (I didn’t ask her to).
Walk March 