LPO/Eschenbach: Wagner, R. Strauss, Beethoven - Renée Fleming 14.12.11

[amateur51]

Spooky. I had a nightmare last night, of which I still recall the horror, that I was just going on to conduct Beethoven 7 and the hall was full of expectant concert-goers.

Are you sure it was Eschenbach conducting?

Was the horror yours or the audience's, french frank?

Or Ludwig's?

[french frank]

Was the horror yours or the audience's, french frank?

The audience was unaware. It was uncannily close to Caliban's in the moment of waking up (just when the horror became too much to bear). I knew that Charles Mackerras was in the audience, and I was just taking off my overcoat at the back of the hall (as conductors do). CM was in the back row at the end closest to me. I thought of wordlessly handing him the baton and fleeing, but didn't have a baton. Explaining in words was impossible ("Um, Sir Charles, I'm the conductor. I wonder if you would mind taking over for me?"). At the point that it occurred to me that there probably wouldn't be a score waiting for me either - I woke up with a start.

[Richard Tarleton]

ff, how fast would you have taken the scherzo?