PIANO CONCERT

This is my local Anglican parish church of St. Mary The Blessed Virgin, Plympton, Plymouth, Devon, U.K. where I am an altar server.

As a child I was in the choir before leaving to embark on my police career. In my retirement I am extremely happy to be back in my spiritual home and serving God to the best of my ability. The church was dedicated in 1311 and we will therefore be celebrating our Septuacentennial (700th) Anniversary in 3 years time. A planning group has already started work to formulate a programme of events to mark this momentous occasion.

Last night I attended a piano concert in the church performed by an accomplished concert pianist who happens to be our Director of Music and Organist, Mrs. Mila Grimes. She is Russian by birth and married to an Englishman. A thoroughly enjoyable evening included music by Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C minor. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, Bagatelle in E flat and Fur Elise. Schubert's Impromptu in E flat. Tchaikovsky's Snowdrop. Chopin's Polonaise in A, followed by his Waltz in C sharp minor. Debussy's Clair de Lune. Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu. Liszt's Consolation in D flat and concluding with a wonderful performance of Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C sharp minor.

A truly memorable evening by a truly outstanding pianist performed in a truly beautiful church. Mila gave her services free of charge in order to raise much needed funds to maintain and improve our historic organ which was given to the church by William Henry Osmond in 1879 and has served the parish well for almost 130 years. It was built by Lewis and Co of Brixton, London, and by Hele and Co of Exeter, at a cost of nearly £1,000 - a huge sum in 1879.