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I’ve been writing this blog since 2009, but there still seem to be plenty of interesting topics to mull over. You can subscribe (it’s free) to follow the blog by email – each new post will pop into your inbox.
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Hallucinations
Historian Tom Holland was guest-editing the 'Today' programme on BBC Radio 4 recently. He spoke about his experience of AI 'hallucinations', that now increasingly well-known phenomenon whereby Artifical Intelligence makes up information in response to a question. Tom...
My top books of the year 2025
I seem to have read an unusually high number of books this year - surprising, because it was a unusually busy year. Looking back, I realise that long train journeys provided hours of reading time. I often took two books with me on a trip in order not to run out of...
Our new cat
We have a new cat, Daisy, adopted from a cat rescue shelter. After a wobbly start, she's settling down beautifully. Daisy is a very quiet cat who seems not to find it necessary to say anything. One of her few utterances was a moment after her arrival when she shot out...
American Library Association magazine review
My new book has had its first 'review' in the States. 'Choice', the professional magazine of the American Library Association, has recommended it for students, professionals, and general readers. This is a big step forward because 'Choice' is an important influence on...
Marking Criteria
The Joseph Haydn Competition in Vienna came to an end on Wednesday with a prizewinners' concert and presentation of prizes by the sponsors and jury. Afterwards, there was a reception hosted by the university. Immediately I was approached by someone with a role in...
Gramophone magazine review
The March issue of Gramophone Magazine carries a review of my book 'Sleeping in Temples'. As the review is not available online except to subscribers, here's an excerpt: " 'Out of Silence' [my previous book] was written in diary form. 'Sleeping in Temples' is a series...
The character of each audience
After writing about my preparations for Monday's concert at Wigmore Hall with Erich Höbarth, I'm delighted to report that we had a wonderful time. In fact, it was one of my most favourite concerts of recent years. Erich was tremendous, and I felt that I was 'in the...
Schubert at Wigmore Hall on Monday
It's getting close now to my concert on Monday 16 Feb at my favourite hall (London's Wigmore Hall, in case anyone didn't know) with the marvellous Austrian violinist Erich Höbarth, leader of Quatuor Mosaiques, Concentus Musicus Wien, and an old friend of the Wigmore...
Metaphors, not modulations
I'm pleased to say that my audience for the Beethoven lecture-recital yesterday was much bigger than I or the organisers had anticipated. Extra chairs needed to be put out, and there was a lovely buzz in the room when I came in. It seemed that people were pleased by...
Beethoven in words and music
I'm preparing for a lunchtime lecture-recital on Tuesday in which I've been asked to speak about, and then play, a late Beethoven sonata, the A flat major opus 110. It's an experiment for all concerned; I've performed the sonata before, but have never tried to speak...
Scotsman article today
There's an article by music critic Ken Walton about me and my book in today's Scotsman newspaper - click here to read it. For now, an excerpt: 'Just read her recent fourth book, Sleeping in Temples, in which she muses, in 16 essays, on issues that challenge and...
Practising in the dark, 1812
I've been reading the wonderful 'Memoirs of a Highland Lady', written by Elizabeth Grant of Rothiemurchus. What a series of unforgettable pictures she paints of her life in the Highlands of Scotland in the early years of the 19th century! As a teenager, I used to get...
Guardian review of ‘Sleeping in Temples’
There's a review of my new book in today's Guardian. Here's an excerpt: 'Fascinating essays from the celebrated pianist ... Susan Tomes has devoted her career largely to chamber music - a niche market within the niche market of classical music, and one in which she...
Ex Libris
At New Year we played a game we hadn't played for ages - Ex Libris. It's a game where all the players have to write the opening or closing sentence of a book which already exists. Each player in turn selects a book from the shelves (obviously you have to have lots of...