2MBS Fine Music Sydney’s presenter – Michael Morton-Evans
Michael Morton-Evans talks Gurkhas, Galapagos and Gumpendorfer Strasse
First Class Magazine’s Nicole Lenoir-Jourdan sits down with 2MBS Fine Music Sydney’s Michael Morton-Evans to talk all things music and travel.
A journey with Michael Morton Evans
Without a doubt my favourite musical destination is Vienna. The birthplace of so much of the Romantic era in music, to this day it is still the most musical of cities.
Sydney to Vienna was once a straight journey via Lauda Air, but sadly, like the great racing driver himself, it has died, but you can still get there with Austrian Airlines or Etihad.
Vienna with Michael Morton-Evans
There’s so much to see and do in Vienna. Start the day with a coffee and sacher torte in the Café Mozart in the Albertinaplatz, go for a wander through the Prater, once the imperial hunting ground and only accessible for the aristocracy, a light lunch at the Café Phil in the Gumpendorfer Strasse and then a short stroll to the magnificent Vienna Opera House. And that’s just the first morning!
My favourite place, however, is not in Vienna itself, but north-west of the city in the Vienna Woods. Grinzing is in the wine-growing region and a must to visit, particularly in November when the new wine is served in the various heurige or taverns. Up the road is Nussdorf, a particular favourite holiday spot for the composer Ludwig van Beethoven.
The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Back home in Australia if you want to combine natural beauty and music there’s no place like Hobart in Tasmania. History abounds round every corner of the city and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, currently under the Norwegian conductor Eivind Aadland, is world class.
Where to next? Well Machu Pichu would be fascinating, but I doubt at my age if I could manage all those steps! There’s always the Galapagos Islands.
Music has always been a big part of my life. I fell in love with my piano teacher when I was seven and spent every minute of the day that I could at the keyboard. I dreamt of becoming a concert pianist, but realised when I was 18 that, despite 11 years of non-stop practice, I wasn’t going to be good enough to make a living at it, so went into journalism instead!
Having spent many years working for newspapers, magazines, television and radio, I decided that radio was my favourite. I spent a fabulous five years working with the legendary Caroline Jones on ABC Radio with the City Extra programme every morning and when I retired I came across 2MBS and thought that if they would have me I could combine my love of music with my on air radio capabilities. Happily they agreed!
Dame Imogen Cooper
Given a private jet and a ticket to go anywhere to head anyone, I would fly to London to attend the next concert given by that wonderful pianist, Dame Imogen Cooper. A pupil of the great Alfred Brendel, she has a most wonderful touch on the keyboard and her performances of Schubert in particular are worth flying across the world to hear.
So you’ve allowed me dinner with three musicians of my choice from any time in history. Who would they be and where would we eat? Well Number One would have to be Mozart. I refuse to believe that he was nearly as asinine as that movie Amadeus made out and his music is sublime. Number Two would be Tchaikovsky. Having toiled long and hard to master his 1st Piano Concerto, I would love to have the opportunity to ask him directly what was going through his mind when he wrote it. Lastly Number Three, Victor Borge. The Danish pianist and comedian has had me laughing helplessly for years and I suspect that many people don’t realise what a truly magnificent pianist he was. As a coda, an after dinner brandy with Tom Lehrer would be a treat!
the Nepali Gurkha army
In the late 1960’s I was in Hong Kong at a time when it was still under British rule and a detachment of the Nepali Gurkha army manned the border with China. I became friendly with one of their officers and when I left he presented me with his kukri, the short, curved bladed knife the Gurkhas use for close-up fighting. It sits on my hall table ready for use in any home invasion!
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