I was going to spend today at the computer marking up takes for the Delphian CD, but it was such a beautiful spring-like morning I found myself walking through the park to the RSNO office instead. A couple of weeks ago I agreed to play in a couple of concerts that are coming up with Carl Davis, in the interests of paying off a small portion of my accountant's bill and hopefully finding time to have a chat with the man himself.  Ewen at the orchestra sold me the line of 'just a bit of keyboard in some film scores, nothing much', so I said 'OK then, I'll even do it for the pish money you guys pay' and that was that.  So I thought I'd take the air this morning, and go and pick up the music so I could give it a look over.

I'm playing in 18 numbers, including the piano solos in such gems as Chariots of Fire & Love Story, I get to do my Elton John impersonation on electric piano in Circle of Life, there's Jaws, Doctor Zhivago (my gran would be very proud of this one), other gems such as Windmills of Your Mind and Love Lift Us Up Where We Belong, and a ludicrous arrangement of Lullaby of Broadway. I could go on. When the shock of the sheer tackiness of it all wore off, I realised that once I've learned the notes this will be a really good laugh.  How many people would kill to play the Love Story theme on the piano backed by an enormous symphony orchestra? I think I'll hire a Richard Clayderman wig - please come and throw things, rotten fruit or roses according to taste, it's in the Usher Hall on the 28th, and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on the 29th. I can't wait.  I also get to play in Moon River, whose Oscar I once picked up from Henry Mancini's piano in LA and held fondly in a sad display of showbiz awe ...

Oh yes, if you're near a radio or a computer tomorrow, we're on Music Restored on Radio 3 at 1600 GMT - it should be available on the website for a week or so thereafter.  Scroll down to the 16 February for the story of how the music got recorded.  Besides the music, it's well worth listening out for John Purser's story of one of the 6th Earl of Kellie's preoccupations, which is far too rude to repeat here.

I did a quick phone interview for Early Music News today too - well, not so quick, it's difficult to shut me up once I get going.