We went to hear The Organ Symphony (the only one as far as I’m concerned). I knew it would be wonderful but I hadn’t expected its effect on me to be so visceral.

I had wanted to hear the organ at Symphony Hall for a long time. I’m not fond of the sound of the organ as a rule but I wanted to experience its power. Its part is just right in the symphony. For a start, it only appears sparingly and doesn’t overpower the orchestra however, on the rare occasion that it does take centre stage, it is suitably dramatic. The final movement of the symphony is my favourite and it brought tears to my eyes. As a bonus, and I’d never seen this before, there were two encores, the second of which was Les Toreadors from Carmen Suite No. 1. That’s in the film Babe, as is the last movement of Organ Symphony, which makes me wonder whether the first encore was also from Babe. It was certainly familiar…

I didn’t take my camera so I snapped the organ on my iphone as a memento: