We arrived in Kiev before sun-up, at six o' clock in the morning. But by the time I had made my way onto the platform, crowded with officers and soldiers on their way to Romanie, day had dawned and at nine o' clock I went straight to the rehearsal. Well, they play quite well, although of course the orchestra is a little rocky and Glière is a pretty rotten conductor, but I was in no mood to find fault.