The Dog Who Loved Vivaldi

by Ros Barber (Brighton)

I was a professional busker for quite some time. I had no other source of income; I was out pretty much every day with my violin. The tunnel down to the beach had fantastic acoustics. The sound would travel all the way up to the other side of the road.

Busking so much is not good for the spirit. It’s good to busk for fun but not everyone appreciates it. You can get some nasty vibes. Other times are better: you’re playing for yourself, practising in the open air – they ignore you, and you ignore them.

I was outside Hennes, playing Vivaldi’s Spring from the Four Seasons, and this man and a dog came along. It was a sunny day and I was playing to myself really. They stopped to listen, and I started playing to them. Halfway through the man tried to leave.

But his little dog wouldn’t leave. His little dog dug his claws into the pavement and refused to leave until I’d finished. The man couldn’t drag him away. When I finished, I put my violin down and the dog stood up go. We couldn’t stop laughing.

---

What Ros Barber says about The Dog Who Loved Vivaldi:

Eliza Jaye is a musician who was making an appearance on Radio Reverb, Brighton’s community radio station. She’s been a Brighton residence on and off since 1999, with occasional returns to her home in Sydney, Australia.