Look what I've found!

(c) 2016 Gita Mistry, all rights reserved

Whereas most of my contemporaries St Andrews spent their pennies on Sergeant Pepper or Revolver I spent mine on ballet music. My pride and joy was this recording of the complete score of Giselle conducted by Richard Bonynge but I have other treasures too. I went to graduate school in Los Angeles in 1972 and thought this music collection was lost for ever - until I found it today. I have Ansermet's recording of The Firebird, Clifford Curzon's Symphonic Variations, von Karajan's Sacre du Printemps, Lanchberry's Fille mal gardee, Pistoulari's Graduation Ball and many, many more. 

My tutors had expected me to get a first but I came away with a second - albeit a respectable one or so I am told as St Andrews did not divide the second class honours class in those days. At least part of the reason may be that I listened to those records when I should have been revising.   I was ballet mad. Together with my frequent trips to London for Covent Garden, the Wells, the Festival Hall, the Coliseum or events with the London Ballet Circle and, after 1969, Glasgow to see Western Theatre Ballet not to mention my first classes with Sally Marshall in the sports centre it is a wonder that I graduated at all.

I have not touched these records since graduation.  I do not have a vinyl turntable but Gita does so I have entrusted these records to her, Tonight, after Don Quixote we shall try one to see whether it still produces sound. If it does, I shall be over the moon.