Hear, hear to all of these requests for complete performances. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (I think that's what it's called) has issued on DVD some marvellous Britten/Pears footage - a complete rehearsal and performance of Nocturne, an interview with Britten, a couple of lute songs with Pears and Julian Bream. There must be so much of this stuff in the BBC archives, of so many legendary musicians.

Another inaccuracy (an oft-repeated one) concerned the dedications of the War Requiem. Only three of the four were killed in the war. Piers Dunkerley committed suicide in 1959.

No, smittims: you're absolutely right. Her performance was noisy and over-dramatic.

If you really want a decent recording of Elgar's Cello Concerto, please try Heinrich Schiff and the Staatskapelle Dresden conducted by Neville Marriner. Schiff plays the solo part very elegantly and the Staatskapelle is a very suitable orchestra for Elgar. I wasn't surprised when Colin Davis's performance with the Staatskapelle of the First Symphony became first choice in CD Review a few months ago. It would be wonderful to have more Elgar on disc played by this excellent ensemble.

I suppose you could say it was "wrong" in the same way that Nureyev's ballet performances were wrong, but for me it still works. Just occasionally, people come along who can break the rules, I feel.

When the clip of Radu Lupu playing the Grieg on Andre Previn's Music Night appeared, I did wonder whether Morecambe and Wise were coming next ...

I was both inspired and saddened by Michael Tippett's comments about the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra - inspired because it was a wonderful example of what can and should be done, and saddened by the fact that it has all been destroyed.

I suspect the footage of the Scratch Orchestra may have given teenage daughter ideas about her GCSE collective performance 

There didn't really seem to be any coherent narrative thread, it felt as if it was built around the available clips as opposed to having a clear idea of what it wanted to say and finding clips and interviews to support that. By the nature of the subject matter it was still interesting but could have been so much better.

I found the second programme much more interesting than the first, mainly because almost all music was new to me. (The only pieces I really knew were the Du Pre/Elgar and... er... Eric Morcambe/Greig  )

I still struggle to enjoy much modern music, though I'm not entirely sure why. Judging by the content of this programme, my problem is with hearing instruments and voices doing the "wrong" thing. I found the purely electronic music much more interesting and enjoyable than the bits done on real instruments. It seems to me that if you're going to experiment, do it with a purpose-built experimental gizmo and leave the orchestras to do what orchestras are good at.

It's a bit like... only a lunatic would deep fry a strawberry, but deep frying is not a bad thing per se... just save it for potatoes and eat strawberries the way the are supposed to be eaten.

Er... I don't know if it makes sense to anybody else 

Haven't seen the last two episodes yet, PW, though they're sitting on my hard drive. If you miss Sunday's repeat and are still interested, send me a PM...

Ron.

Well, in the interests of full attribution, the microtonally compromised high F, the grungy low G and a few sliding noises played on the cello at the working men's club were all by this very occasional board member... A bit weird to hear one's music in 3 second installments but I'm glad my cellist friend got some good camera time.