Steven Isserlis

Creed from Sir Arnold Bax (b otd 1883):
"I believe in conditions of ecstasy – physical or spiritual – and I get nothing from anything else. I think all the composers who appeal to me...that the secret of the universe was to be solved by ecstatic intuition rather than by thought."

A very happy 83rd to Joni Mitchell!
"I see music as fluid architecture."
"When the world becomes a massive mess, nobody at the helm, it's time for artists to make their mark."
"I thrive on change. That's probably why my chord changes are weird, because chords depict emotions."

Tchaikovsky d otd 1893 - one of the most awful deaths in music history (and it has competition!). I don't believe the suicide theory - I really think it was cholera. But deeply tragic, anyway - and he was planning to compose a cello concerto (after one for flute). Doubly tragic!

So very sad to hear of the departure of Herbert Blomstedt - we thought he was indestructible! Remembering a wonderful performance of Mendelssohn's Scottish symphony from him a few years ago. His music-making was one with his personality - fresh, natural, joyous. A wonderful man.

What a day for premieres! Schumann's 2nd symphony (1846) - is there a more beautiful slow movement in any symphony? Smetana's Má Vlast (1882) - is there a more gorgeous melody than Vltava? And Strauss's Till Eulenspiegel (1894)- is there more vivid story-telling in music?