On happy songs

Last Friday, the 24th of June, I was asked to play the Musical Intermezzo during the Leiden Honors Academy Closing Ceremony in the Marekerk, Leiden.

The organisation left the choice of repertoire up to me, but I was asked to pick "something happy and fitting the occasion".

Now, I've been rather into Schubert recently, so I thought his opus 90 no. 4 Impromptu would work perfectly. It's got beautiful harmonies, it's easy to listen to and it's got basically the happiest musical ending you can imagine. When you think about it, it's essentially a Disney soundtrack.

So, I e-mailed a link to the Schubert back to the organisation to get their approval. I also added a link to Beethoven op. 14 no. 2 and Grieg's Gade. Just to give them something to choose, but I was pretty sure they were going to go for Schubert.

To my utter amazement they picked Beethoven.

I'm not complaining, of course - after that Grieg competition recording I basically know it backwards, so all it meant is that I didn't really have to practice...

It's just that now, I'll have to arrange for a concert to play the Schubert in!