By rushing I mean not as much actual speed by that sensation that something is being played too fast. Maybe breathless would be a better term.

Were I to use a metronome I would become paralysed. Either I would not concentrate on the music, because I am worried with the ticks or I would simply filter it out. Anyway, a metronome only goes click click: it does not go 1 and 2 and 3, which can be more helpful. Then, supposing I managed to use it, what would happen once the metronome is off? It is a habit I simply was not taught, even though the teacher had one, which I remember her use once, when checking a metronoe marking, only to say: "too fast!"

Coming to this piece for the first time, it seems perfectly reasonable playing (the piano sound isn't very subtle, but you can only play the instrument the in front of you). The piece seems to have a certain child-like quality: a simple melody over an ostinato accompaniment which moves harmonically up and down by semitones (except at the very end).

This sounded much better to me, Richard. It's on the site.

Thank you!

Ah, the old groaner! I want to tiurn this one in and get a new one as soon as we move, the thing is, e have been about to move house for 2 years now!

You sum it perfectly and this is the way I feel this piece: no pretences nor big gestures, long enough to establish a mood but short enough not to become monotonous. Aimless is a word that was used, but aimless denotes something that is lost and goes from here to there, without direction. I would call it static, because it goes nowhere and is not meant to, the way Satie's Gymnopédies do. There is just a desire to please; nothing else.

I do wonder, however, what the composer thinks!

It seems all there, Monica, thank you!

About that station, it is the main one after all, but the the old days trains stayed there for a long time, because they had to put another engine at the head of the train. The fast trains thay have now have an engine on both ends, so it is only the time it takes for the driver to go from the head to the tail.

That makes sense. And those trains were so nice! Fast and quiet!! The food okay but the coffee service was very funny. I asked for a cup of coffee and I got this teeny little cup that was more like a shot glass and it was only about 1/4 of it was filled with coffee. That was it! cracks me up thinking about that....