Prom 6: Tuesday 19th July at 7.00 p.m. (Brahms, Stravinsky)

[Bax-of-Delights]

Having watched this last night Mrs B-o-D (and I) wished we had chosen this Prom to go to rather than Friday's Franco-Spanish.

Intrigued by the (contra) bassoonist hurriedly shoving in ear plugs just before the thumps from the percussion. Or was I seeing things?

[mangerton]

No, B-o-D, I noticed that too.

[Ariosto]

In the Rite I too was surprised by the viola solo. I thought that this was a very good Rite and I rate this orchestra quite highly, and the conductor too. Certainly the best orchestra so far in the Proms. The mess up at the end (possibly a conductor memory slip) was of no consequence and at least he saw the funny side of it.

I was not so taken with the Brahms Double, although technically the playing was pretty good. The balance did favour the cellist, with a mic only inches from his instrument. However, I did not care too much for his playing, and overall I think it was flashy playing from both, at the expense of the music. It is not enough just to deliver the notes.