In the mail today from Kirsty in Halifax came her  helpful repertoire suggestion for our forthcoming Pittsburgh concert: an Edwardian 'march descriptive' for piano called Battle of the Nations, which is deeply silly and includes a pipe band playing The Campbells Are Coming.  But ... it's by E.T.Paull, who in 1903 composed The Burning Of Rome, which formed a major part of my musical education.  Of all the pieces that my gran would play on the piano at home, this was my favourite: it opens with the dash of the charioteers for position, and then a march two-step for the race itself, the parade of the victors, the evening song of the Christians, alarm of fire, people running through the streets in consternation, the fire fiercely raging, a reprise of the big tunes - topped off with a spectacular cover in typical Paull style, with Nero fiddling in the foreground. Awesome. It's like a silent movie without the movie.  I've just played both pieces to Susie, who says it's the best music she's ever heard. So there.