Here it is - towards the end of the slow movement of the C minor Piano Concerto, written as long ago as 1901.


Something of his little school-mate Scryabine's spirituality seems to have rubbed off on Rachmaninoff here. Percipient Members will recognise our half-diminished seventh; it is there at the bottom of all the most beautiful passages of Western music. What pointed and poignant expression in that F sharp on the violins!

Can Members tell us other things about the music of Rachmaninoff?

For my own part, though without the dots to support it, I'd like to nominate the end of the fifth movement 'Nyne otpushchaeshi' of the All Night Vigil (otherwise known as the Vespers) where the choral basses have a descending scalic phrase which terminates in a sub-stave B flat. Basses who can sing this low aren't exactly ten a penny (indeed it caused huge problems even at the first performance, where none of the in-house singers could reach it all) but nearly every recording of the work manages to find at least one or two, and most of the eastern European and Russian choirs field several. A stunning sound.

(I'd had a long resistance to Rachmaninov since my early teens, by the way. It was a chance hearing of the Vigil used in an orthodox service on Radio3 in 1990 without having any idea what it was that convinced me; I was out combing the shops for recordings the very next day.)   

I rather like the First suite for 2 pianos, Op.5 - especially the Barcarolle - an extremely creepy piece (the second suite is not as inspired IMHO). 

A recent broadcast brought back to me the beauty and sadness of the 3RD Symphony - although musically speaking he does not really say anything new the mood he creates here for me says everything about his exile from his homeland - im always greatly moved by this work and also the Symphonic Dances 

# 7       No, MabelJane, I'm here to defend you all the way!   

            After tonight's tribute to BAFTA's 60th anniversary celebrations, at the Proms, a well known still from "Brief Encounter" is particularly apt.

Incidentally, as BBC 2 start a summer season of British films, I do hope that the BEEB will screen "Return to Carnforth" again.       A 15 minute feature returns to the restored, albeit fictitious Milford Junction (on the Leeds/Settle/Carlisle line.  The only surviving member of the cast, Margaret Stephens - the pert barmaid, Beryl- talks about the filming in 1945, and it is touching and a bit hilarious to hear from the footplate fireman who adored Celia Johnson.   She took the trouble to walk down and talk to the engine crew each night.  Discussing Trevor Howard, he looked to the left and the right before adding,  "Perhaps I shouldn't say this but.....I think he was a bit aloof."

Some time ago, I did a video/DVD transfer of the main feature, alongside the "Return to Carnforth" short and it is always popular with visitors.  It would be good to see both films cheek-by-jowl on BBC 2.

  Thank you, MabelJane.         On a rainy morning, I spent a few happy hours browsing through the Noel Coward Diaries and Future Indefinite - the second part of his autobiography - trying to trace the source for the decision to use Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto in "Brief Encounter" (1945).   The film was adapted from Coward's pre-war "Tonight at 8.30" when the play was included as "Still Life."

    Richard Addinsell was among his huge circle of friends but there is no mention of the score in the Diaries or Autobiography.   The sound track featured Eileen Joyce, and the National S.O. (scratch recruitment?), conducted by the ubiquitous Muir Matheson.    Enjoyable, too, to read about the prevailing euphoria of all concerned as the end of the Second World War was clearly sight when  cast and crew assembled at Carnforth, in the cold winter which started 1945.

My final point of reference was Dame Celia's daughter, Kate Fleming's affectionate biography, "Celia Johnson", published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in 1990  - as serialised on Woman's Hour says the cover.   This includes Celia's correspondence with her husband, (brother of writer Peter Fleming) based in India at the time.    During the location shooting, mainly late night and early morning, she opted to live in a hotel at Windermere and Celia was cock-a-hoop at the luxury of a fireplace, always burning in her bedroom, as well as the range of food available.

Later, Coward writes in his Diaries:     "Saw rough cut of Brief Encounter.   Delighted with it.   Celia quite wonderful; Trevor Howard fine and obviously a new star.   Whole thing beautifully played and directed  - and, let's face it, most beautifully written."               

In 1946, Republic Studios centred the Rach 2 in a most enjoyable piece of technicolour tosh,  "Concerto" with Artur Rubenstein at the keyboard.   As a wide-eyed schoolboy I thought it was a masterpiece!

I last saw Celia Johnson at Richmond Theatre (Surrey) in "The Understanding",  1982.     Sadly she died a few weeks later and, Ralph Richardson, her co-star, followed a year or so later.

I've photocopied your still from "Brief Encounter" as it will make an ideal cover for DVD transfers, along with "Return to Carnforth" and I'd be pleased to reciprocate by sending you a copy with my complements.    A private message to me will suffice.

Bws,       Stanley

Celia Johnson was great when she was smoking

Ian (down to 10 a day now)

The coda of the 1st movement of the Symphonic Dances suggests to me a revived intimacy, then the  raising of a flirtatious smile after a lot of pain, which the quotation of the 1st symphony eariler might represent? and structurally its so understated. Genius

...have just read Stanley's recollections of B/E-fascinating and illustrative of how much collective feeling the film encapsulates. The deadpan, awful palm court trio is a lovely touch too - how if the couple werent so wearied by
experience they'd be able to hoot at it, and almost do...