FIVE STARS

 

I know, I know, I know... If I had a penny for everyone who has since exclaimed: “What do you mean? You left after the first half?!” I’d already be lying on my own private beach in Barbados.

But the simple truth was: I was both dog tired and had, unexpectedly, experienced one of those fabled Road to Damascus conversions.

Oxford Philomusica are well known to me — they’re brilliant. But violinist Nigel Kennedy I was dubious about. His whole enfant terrible ‘thing’ has never intrigued or excited me, but since he was going to be playing at this concert, I reckoned ‘what harm could it do?’ At first, I was unharmed. The OP played Mozart (Divertimento in D major, K.136) and I sat back, eyes closed, drinking it in.

But then HE ambled on, all black trainers, bits of scarf and Gangsta- mannerisms that had me cringing, both for him (it was so contrived) and the ghosts of concerts past. Until that is, he played... in this case Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending followed by Londonderry Air. In 30 minutes I metamorphosed from a balding, middle-aged git to fully paid-up Kennedy acolyte (but still balding and a middle-aged git).

There is, however, only so much beauty I can take at any time, and wanting to run and hang my head in shame at my ignorance, I left elated, astonished and humbled.

Which means, yes, I DID miss his jazz-inspired performance of The Four Seasons but on the plus side, took one step nearer to becoming a better man.