And so to Waddesdon to play slightly premature Christmas music at Waddesdon Manor. The weather forecast predicted showers, and they were right if your definition of showers is heavy rain for 20 minutes every half an hour. Last year we played in the stables, but the recent downpours had left them flooded, so we played outside the main house, under a permanent gazebo that serves in summer to protect al fresco diners from the sun. Today it protected us from the rain. Amazingly it also protected some of the audience, while others stood under umbrellas to listen. Only in England…
The band played a mixture of Christmas carols, Christmas music such as White Christmas, and some of the other pieces we have out at the moment, such as Black and White Rag and Broadway Showstoppers. Considering the awful weather we were lucky to have an audience at all, but those who did stop to listen certainly seemed to appreciate the band, applauding each number. If we’re invited back next year, let’s hope it will at least be dry!