Listening to the radio on the way to a meeting this morning I heard about half a of a beautiful piano piece by Janacek called 'Along an Overgrown Path'. When I arrived in the West End I nipped into the quite awesome Harold Moore's Records in Great Marlborough Street (next to Marks and Sparks's back door).
Harold Moore's is eccentric and, I reckon, a bit forbidding. You have to leave your bag at the door, for instance. When was the last time you left your bag at the door? Anyway, the assistant asked if I needed any help. I said something like: "I'm looking for a Janacek piece I heard on the radio this morning..." and he said: :"Solo piano? Overgrown Path? I've got a second-hand copy" and beetled off to find it. Blimey.
So, of course, it turned out that the second-hand copy had gone but he's going to phone me when he gets another one. Two weeks ago I heard a quite amazing symphony by a Russian composer I'd never heard of called Gliere on the Proms. Obviously, the next time I was in town I dashed into HMR and said "there was a symphony by Gliere on the Proms last night..." and the lad said "Number 3. It's over here..." It was: and it cost £4! ($8).
I suppose the question that arises from this experience is "how can we duplicate this retail perfection in an online store that sells skincare, haircare and shaving goods? Good question. I'll get back to you.
The pic is Janacek himself, taken in 1928.
