The last movement is con anima. It is probably the strong coffee, but those gathered in the reception room of the Royal Irish Academy of Music earlier this week are peppering to perform.
They will get their chance next Tuesday in Dublin Castle's State Apartments at 8 p.m. when they take part in a musical feast. Their mission: to raise funds for the Irish Hospice Foundation. Tickets are still available for the concert, which is to include Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf narrated by Gavin Friday. The singer/composer himself, a former Virgin Prune, is already getting into character - there are several.
All the artists are giving freely of their time. The aim is to raise £10,000. Friday, himself, is currently working a lot with orchestras. He's about to record the orchestral music for the film Disco Pigs, which is being made by Kirsten Sheridan, daughter of Jim.
Pianists Audrey Chisholm and Dearbhla Brosnan will play a duet, Faure's The Dolly Suite. Such is their dedication that, even today in preparation, they are probably practising around the clock up in the attics of the RIAM building, working their fingers to cipini. More dedicated followers of music are Leo Gibney, chairman of the RIAM board and Bill Shipsey, chair of the Irish Hospice Foundation.