Comments on 'why are there no comments' !

[Alison]

I understand that in the 'good old days' Royal Festival Hall concerts used to start at 8.00. How sensible was THAT ?? !!

And many were broadcast live for good measure.

At least we are getting some RFH concerts again now, with their resident orchestras.

[Uncle Monty]

As an alleged "Host" of this Forum, I feel I should at least say something. . .

The reason I don't personally go in for detailed criticism of concerts, broadcast or live, is that in some ways I'm very easily pleased! I'm obsessed with music and love (almost) everything about it, and if, for example, there is a performance of a piece of music I'm especially fond of, I can with no trouble see right past any possible imperfections in the execution, and simply enjoy The Music. (I like to think that Plato would have felt the same. . . )

This being so, I tend to bristle a bit when someone says "Oo-er, the LSO were rubbish last night", etc. Of course, if a performance just doesn't "do it" for you, and they sometimes don't, obviously, there's no more to be said -- though that needn't stop you trying! But unless the critics have access to a level of perception not vouchsafed to the rest of us, which I rather doubt, it begins to sound a bit like posing to me. By all means disagree, but I think the standard of professional orchestras is astonishingly high. We are always looking for those performances that "catch fire", and remember them all our lives. Clearly that isn't going to happen every night, but that doesn't mean that all the others are second-rate.

However, as they used to tell me on the Portsmouth football forum, "it's all about opinions". If someone with absolutely no musical training (but often with a lifetime of experience of listening, and just of Life) wants to say, "I really loved that concert last night", they should be able to, and their view cannot and should not be disrespected. Lucky them, and good for them! It can be disagreed with, of course, for reasons good or bad, technical or conceptual, specific or general, so let's hear them.

Sometimes it's just a matter of taste (a fascinating subject per se). We tend to wonder why things that are obvious to us don't seem to be quite so evident to other people! If I may mention another MBer as an example, I'm aware that Mary Chambers thinks Britten is wonderful but has little time for Vaughan Williams, whereas I'm exactly the opposite. I can't see much prospect of common ground, but I take note of other people's passions, and I feel goaded by our exchanges to explore further, to see if I can appreciate what someone else thinks is great, but which eludes me. That in itself must be valuable.

[Ferretfancy]

Uncle Monty
Like you I love the music even when all might not be perfect, but still feel a bit guilty if I don't respond to a particular composer or performer, usually because I'm sometimes unable to say why. As an example, there has been much enthusiasm for Finzi on these threads recently, and he pretty well leaves me cold.This fact shouldn't trouble me, but I still feel like the carthorse in Animal Farm, must try harder!

[salymap]

It works both ways if opera and concerts begin at 8pm. It might be convenient in a broadcast but I've had to creep out of the ROH, with heavy heart, to catch the last train from Charing Cross that might link up with a bus home.Taxis almost never available from the railway station.

[Norfolk Born]

Perhaps the earlier starts are intended to encourage 'out-of-towners' to attend by giving them more time to catch that last train, especially if it doesn't leave from Waterloo or Charing Cross.