A piano on Snowdon

Today’s meeting at the BBC was pretty disastrous. We all sat around a table, some of us not really knowing what we were doing there, everyone listened to me politely, and then we all politely decided it wasn’t going to happen and everyone politely went home! So that’s that.

I got on the tube with Alison, feeling a bit sorry for myself. I’m sure I’ll feel similarly gutted for the rest of the evening, wake up feeling a bit blue, but then pull myself together. There isn't really an alternative. I’m rather grateful for yesterday’s meeting, however, because it prepared me for today. In any case, as we span further and further away from the purity of A Symphony for England, the project started to feel cumbersome. The sad truth is that the Nations already have all sorts of interesting programmes about music in their patches, so to them, our idea is simply another in a long list. I think the moment when I realised it was all over, was when the bloke from Wales said they’d already filmed someone playing a piano at the top of Mount Snowdon! How can you compete with that? The English Regions, however, throughout have continued to support the idea, and I am so grateful to them for their continued interest in my work.


And so we move on... I’ve already thought of an interesting project to take to Channel 4 - It's surely about time for me to make a triumphant return to the opposition! I've also spoken to Manchester to try and steer the project up there back on track. I’ve eaten some pasta, am watching Holby City, and am waiting for Nathan to come home from the theatre, wishing I had a bit more of a social life at the moment!

Friday 15th March, and Pepys went with the Sir Williams to the Dolphin, where they ate a “great fish dinner,” which had been provided by two nameless tax merchants. They stayed in the pub, eating and drinking until late at night before returning home.