The German musician is, of course, thorough and painstaking, and generally a very well-turned product. This is quite admirable but it is just possible to be too secure, too certain of one's infallibility, and this can at times lead to a blandness of performance which fails to excite. There was one occasion (as it happens not an orchestral one) which it always delights me to relate. We were in Hanover, that most dignified of northern German centres, and the Tuckwell Wind Quintet - apart from Mr Barry Tuckwell himself, were Messrs Lloyd, Wickens, Gatt and Brymer, all very experienced orchestral players, which means that each of us had a fair idea of what the others could and were doing, what they couldn't (or possibly weren't), and also how much you can get away with. These luminaries were joined in the magnificent Poulenc sextet by a most distinguished pianist - nameless because I honestly can't remember his name, but his was a name at the time which stood for all that was worthy, well-prepared, solid and admirable in this sort of music (although possibly Poulenc, a most mercurial man and pianist, enthusiastic rather than accurate, might have disagreed). All went well at the final recorded public concert, until the last few pages, when a sudden 5/8 bar followed by a quick turnover can give an understandable flutter to the best ensembles. It certainly did so in this case, resulting in our pianist being just one beat ahead of the quintet; not a serious blunder, because it often happens at rehearsal, and in such a case just a series of raised eyebrows from the wind players, who are still in unison, brings their keyboard friend back to the fold. On this occasion eyebrows were duly raised, but after about ten bars it was obvious that Herr Professor was not going to be so tempted. Eyebrows were therefore wagged, bottoms shuffled on seats, and the quintet neatly reversed its 'oom-pahs' into 'pah-ooms' to fint into the new and unplanned rhythmic pattern. The audience seemed to love it all, and after the dressing-room congratulations were over, Barry suggested that perhaps we should re-record the last movement to make the broadcast more acceptable, 'as none of the wind players thought they had given of their best'. The pianist was most generous - certainly he would be prepared, however much trouble it might be. We did it again, Predictably, exactly the same thing happened, and due apologies were made by the wind players for the poor ensemble. It was at the third attempt that the final explosion came, and it was pointed out that a 5/8 bar sounds 'ra-ta-ta-ta-ta', not 'ra-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta'. It was quite a revelation to the professor, and I don't think he believes it yet. I don't think we ever went back there, anyway. << less