Music of the Silk Roads

Tonight, third of four Meetups in a row, I joined the World Music Meetup. They were headed to the British Museum, which is currently running a Silk Road exhibition - and tonight, they ran an event called Music of the Silk Roads, in the midst of exhibits relevant to the music. So, that sounded good..

I had to skive off work early - just as well I was up to date! There was any combination of buses I could take - happily, I found a combination that got me to the museum at about 4.50; we were to meet at 5.15 for a 5.30 start.

As I walked the last bit to the museum, I prayed there wouldn't be a long queue.. lo, there was hardly a queue at all! and me used to having to plod along the pavement for up to 45 minutes before I get in. We'd been advised to get a timed ticket for museum entry - and indeed, why not?! They're free, and it means you can enter via the main entrance on Great Russell Street - non-ticket holders have to go around the back, and I was coming from the direction of the main entrance. Well, as I say, I sailed in.. as far as the security queue, where I found myself stuck behind a bloke who, by the looks of it, had broken every rule in the book; he had a rucksack, a drink, food.. I was stood there for fully 10 minutes, waiting. Me, I got checked in about 10 seconds..

I ended up being a bit early, and seeing the door to the Reading Room open - for once - I moseyed in:

My first time there - and yes, it's spectacular. Anyway, we ultimately met at the Information desk in the Great Court - I spied the pile of programmes and grabbed one before they were all taken, and our organiser had helpfully printed out a sign and stood brandishing it in a reasonably prominent place. :-)

There were four different sets of musicians, from four parts of the world along the silk route - it was going to be hard to synchronise them all, even though they all had multiple performances scheduled; we'd have to compromise. Anyway, with the opening address coinciding with the Chinese performance, we headed up there to begin. Well, that sounds easier than it was - we got terribly lost, despite having a map (you can get them free at the Information Desk). And to be fair, we did have to go upstairs - and finding the stairs in this massive structure is a struggle to start with! We did make it in the end - by which time the seating had all gone, so we stood. The music hadn't started yet, mind - nor was it to start for quite a while after we came; they had decided to give us a lecture on what we were going to hear. Which, to be fair, was interesting - all to do with the Tang dynasty.. and handily, there was an information plaque about that behind me!

In fact, there was plenty to look at, in Room 33 (Eastern End, China). An inspired idea, to have music from the region in the same place that historical treasures from there are displayed:

Unfortunately, the lecture did go on for too long - and when the music finally started, it didn't really seem worth it. A couple of drinking songs, they were. When they had finished, and it seemed the lecture was about to start again, we decamped to the other end of the room - where there was seating! This is the Western (Indian) end:

This was the most popular session of the night with our group - and by the sound of it, with everyone else, given the applause! They had to wait until the Chinese performers at the opposite end finished - but it was well worth the wait. They gave just a brief description of their instruments, then entertained us mightily with melodies from India and Afghanistan.

Determined to squeeze a taste of everything in, we next decamped to Room 43 - the Islamic World - for some Iranian music. My Lord, this was a journey through space and time, as I remarked to myself, as we rushed through galleries we didn't have time to stop in. It was right over the other end of the museum, and we passed through so many countries, so many time periods, it was dizzying. Again, by the time we arrived, there was no seating - and this was the one place I could see hardly anything of the performers. But I did like the music.

Finally, it was handy to finish near where we started, just off the Great Court, in Room 1 (Enlightenment) - which reminded me somewhat of the Long Room in Trinity College, Dublin, with its vast shelves of old books on multiple levels. Handily enough, we got seating again here - there's more space - although not together. This was a concert of Anatolian and Central Asian-inspired new compositions, and very enjoyable - despite a technical hitch near the start, which meant a pause in proceedings.

It was a fascinating evening.. if a bit rushed. The exhibition, BTW, runs to the 23rd of February, and is supposed to be excellent - but I hear cautionary tales about the queues. Somehow, five of us managed to reconvene at the Information Desk and headed off to the Bedford Hotel, and specifically to its lobby bar, The Botanica, where our organiser had apparently booked a table. For an indeterminate number of people - so they'd wisely not prepared a table for us! All we needed was for them to push two together, and we had enough space.

A few of us ate - I had quite a decent steak and chips, another had a massive fish n chips. And we chatted quite happily for an hour or so.. we remarked how quiet and peaceful it was - the only other occupants were at the far end of the room, and the image of a crackling fire on the tv made everything seem cosy. UNTIL something like a work group arrived, raucous and merry, maybe a dozen strong. We didn't stay long after that.. but it was an excellent evening, very well organised and with good company. I hope it's not too long before we meet again!

On the way home, we passed another of those peculiarly long queues:

One of my companions was of the opinion that it might be a TikTok thing.. anyway, seems to have been the night for it, because I passed another crowd, seemingly randomly gathered, on the bus home!

Tomorrow is going to be a busy one for me. First off, I'm back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpies - the walk is Birthday Boy! Winston in Westminster - it was Winston Churchill's birthday, d' you see. And we're headed for lunch afterwards in the Lamb & Flag, Covent Garden - where Helen is joining us (nice n Christmassy). And in the evening, I've finally managed to persuade Ivan and James to meet - first time since September! And with Ivan rehearsing, as most Saturdays, we're headed up in that direction, to the Approach Tavern.

On Sunday, there's a carol service at St. John's Hyde Park, so I might take myself over there. Trying the local Maximini Chinese restaurant beforehand.

On Monday, I'm with CT for Shake it Up - the Improvised Shakespeare Show - at the Hen & Chickens.

Two Christmas socials next. On Tuesday, our company's Christmas Party is lovely and convenient for me - at The Oyster Shed, walking distance from home! So I might skip heading into the office that day, which is likely to be manic anyway.

Wednesday is the Christmas Social for The Hideout and their sister group, Movie Roadhouse London (MRL). At the BFI again.

On Thursday, back with MRL for Conclave, starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, and John Lithgow as cardinals involved in the election of a new pope. Isabella Rossellini shows up as a nun. Shenanigans are promised. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.

Back in London, two nights of music beckon. On the 9th, I'm at a Conductors' Podium student classical concert at the Royal College of Music. 

And on the 10th, I'm at another Jazz Night at Americana. Courtesy of CT.

On the 11th, storyteller Nell Phoenix - who has a newsletter I've signed up to - has just advertised a night of storytelling at Torriano Avenue! Right, that's me sorted..

On the 12th, I'm headed with London Social Detours to a talk on "Painting the Christmas Story" - a history of paintings of the nativity - at the Wallace Collection. Social afterwards, of course. Daytime, yes - but I start my Christmas holidays that day, whee!

On the 13th.. well now, I could hardly skip Laurence & the 45+s' annual Dickens in the City, could I? No, and I'm not..

On the 14th - the Christmas social with Ivan, James, and Martin, who can't make it tomorrow! Unfortunately, The Approach Tavern can't accommodate us indoors in the evening, so we might have to seek an alternative..

And on the 15th, I'm back to Ireland for Christmas, returning on the 5th of January. Have a very merry one!