Music at Paxton

On Tuesday evening, I drove down to Paxton House, near Berwick-upon-Tweed, for a concert given by one of today's leading international violinists, Tasmin Little, and Australian pianist Piers Lane.  It was a lovely programme but for me the lure was Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending.  It is a firm favourite of mine, one of my 'Desert Island Discs!

Paxton is a country house built at the expense of Patrick Home of Billie, in an unsuccessful attempt to woo a Prussian heiress. Perhaps she was used to something bigger!  She may not have been impressed by this classic pile, sitting in glorious parkland with a lovely view down to the River Tweed and the countryside beyond, but I was.  As an aside, if you are in search of unspoilt, glorious gentle countryside in which to walk, dream away summer days, the Scottish Borders is the place to be.  I love it!  On my journey to Paxton I crossed over the border into England (Northumberland) and then a few miles later, back over into Scotland.  The border between the two countries meanders its way from one side of the country to the other.  On my journey back, I spied the modest, old sign pronouncing 'England' tucked into the grasses beneath the hedgerow.  If Scotland does split from the Union, I wonder if that sign will stay like that, or become a checkpoint.  I would hate that.  We live in very uncertain and troubling times.  Too many unknowns.

However, what I do know is that the herbaceous border at Paxton House is magnificent!  Rich in colour and texture.  Tricky to photograph into the bright, early evening light, but I spent a happy twenty minutes or so sauntering around before the concert began.

The performance was held in the Picture Gallery.  It was a bit like walking into one of the rooms of the Royal Academy in Edinburgh, with huge oil paintings of past residents of the house, grand landscapes, portraits and an assortment of other works of art.

It was a sweltering evening and unfortunately only one window was open in the Picture Gallery.  I sat and melted, but the music was wonderful and the beauty of The Lark Ascending transported me out of that room into open countryside, gentle sunshine and the glorious singing of the skylark, high in the blue above.  Summer bliss.