Schumann Concert

 Before I start, I'd like to say that the cake making ladies are awesome!  I had a delicious blackberry sponge cake before the concert started.

I went into this knowing nothing about Clara and Robert Schumann, and it was such a sad story, beautifully illustrated with piano pieces played by Rosemary Firmin.  At one point, she also played the part of Maria, Clara and Robert's oldest daughter, playing for her father.  

When Clara's father finally allowed them to marry (they had to bring a law suit to force him!) they had eight children together and seemed to be very happy.  He was composing and running a music magazine, and she was a concert pianist who also composed.

Then he became ill, and ended up in an insane asylum, and Clara was left to provide for all the children and pay his medical bills.  Sadly, he never recovered, and died, and Clara spent the rest of her life touring, becoming the foremost concert pianist of her age.

The performance was made up of letters and diary entries, as well as linking passages explaining what was happening in their lives, and it was brilliantly well done.

I'm sorry to say that I no longer have the flyer for the performance, so I can't remember the names of the performers, but they were really very good. 

Secret Wine Bar and Japanese Lunch

 

This is the view from the garden of Belmont House, which was open for the Secret Wine Bar and Japanese food.  I had a glass of pink fizz called Running at Rabbits from the Black Mountain Winery, which was very nice, and for lunch I had the marinaded vegetables and pork meat balls, which were delicious.

No Bus, No Picnic

 

Here's the big screen set up for the cycle race at the bottom of the car park.

I hadn't seen any information about the buses, so I assumed that they would be running, though with diversions because the Brecon Road is closed for the cycle race.

However, when we checked the bus tracker map, we could see that the bus crossed the river at Glasbury, and just kept going without coming into Hay at all.

It wasn't that important for me - it would have been nice to go to the picnic and meet the Hereford Pagans, but it wasn't essential - but the lady I was waiting with needed to catch a train, and has lost the money for the ticket.

So instead I intend to visit the Secret Wine Bar and go to the Clara Schumann concert at 3.30pm. 

 

Secret Wine Bar

 

One of the many things that will be happening on Saturday (and Sunday, in this case).

There's also a concert at St Mary's Church in the afternoon, about the life of Clara Schumann.  It starts at 3.30pm, and is free, with a retiring collection in aid of church funds.

The car park will be full of the sports village, and a big screen to watch the cycle race.

And I think I'll be off to Hereford for the Pagan Picnic at Castle Green.  Usually the local pagan events are in the evenings, so there are no buses back to Hay, but this one runs from 11am to 2pm, so I can actually get there and back.   

A Shop Called Alice

 

Hay's newest bookshop is now open for business - specialising in Alice in Wonderland books.

Parking during the Cycle Race

 Some good news from Gareth Ratcliffe's Facebook page - extra parking has been arranged for the Saturday of the Cycle Race at Brecon Road and the Football Club on Forest Road.  Proceeds from the parking charges will go to charity, specifically the switching lights project (Christmas lights???).  There will also be extra parking at the end of Brecon Road near the Festival site, and possibly something across the river at Clyro.

The finishing line of the cycle race will be on Brecon Road, which will be closed so they can put up all the usual barriers and bollards and so on around the finishing line.

The main car park will be used as a sports village during the day.  People will be able to see the cyclists after the race and there will be a big screen showing the race as they come down from Llanidloes, with commentary.  The race organisers are expecting around 4,000 people to turn up, on top of the usual holiday crowds that come to Hay.

The race will be coming through Clyro, down to Glasbury and over the river at Glasbury bridge to end up in Hay, and the roads will only be closed when the race is moving through that stretch. 

Launching Our Lady of the Wye

 

Here's the boat about to set off down the River Wye, with the statue of the Virgin Mary firmly attached.  

The morning started with a short Mass (no hymns) at St Mary's, followed by a procession through Hay and down to the canoe landing stage.  On the way, I chatted to a lady from Presteigne.  She had come down because she knew Father Richard, who now lives there, and seems to have settled in well after his time in Hay.  Another lady had come from Abergavenny to take part.  

Also this year a couple of ladies from the Friends of the River Wye had brought collection tins to rattle as we walked through the town.  They were also handing out copies of the Riverside Code.  It's a little booklet with a hand-drawn map of the river catchment area in the middle, with lots of useful information about the river, the situation with pollution, and what people can do to help, either through their own actions or by joining a variety of local groups.

The statue went down to Whitney on Wye, stopping at The Boat for evensong at Ss Peter and Paul on Saturday afternoon.

Today there was the Patronal Mass at St. Mary's Hay in the morning, and Vespers at St Thomas and St Bede Catholic Church in Weobley. 

Tomorrow they're going down the river from Whitney to Bredwardine Bridge, and evensong is at S Michael and All Angels, Moccas, with monks from Belmont Abbey doing Gregorian chant (and also wine and canapes). 

On Tuesday they go from Bredwardine Bridge to Hereford Cathedral for evensong, followed by a party in the Old Chapel.

On Wednesday, they're going from Hereford Cathedral to Hoarwithy, for the final evensong at St Catherine's, Hoarwithy with Ross Parish Church Choir.

The river is very low indeed, and a lady in a bikini actually waded out into the channel to make sure that it was deep enough to launch the boat.