So was it just FM in Tayside that vacillated back and forth from stereo to mono with various clicks during this? Anybody else aware of problems?

This is indeed not standard BBCSO fare, which fact makes what I heard of the performance last evening (and, I'm sure, the remainder of it that I was sadly unable to hear) all the more remarkable. Outstanding almost beyond belief, indeed - and yes, if anyone does want to initiate a "bring back Runnicles" campaign, they'll certainly get my vote.

Best,

Alistair

Tam, thanks for that.  I can't help but think it was a bit of a wasted opportunity: the Albert Hall could be a superb performance space for a rehearsal-dress semi-staged Götterdämmerung, though I suppose if the cast were using scores it does limit the possibilities.

One thing that did strike me about the performance was that there was, in the bits I heard, at least (act three and snippets of one and two), almost no extra-musical vocalising: no laughs, no screams, no gasps, none of the things that can help bring the drama alive over the radio.  A pity.

I thought Anderson was a nicely intelligent Siegfried and used the text well, and though he lacks the ideal strength and stamina for the part (as does, as you say, seemingly everybody today) there were no disasters and much that was perfectly fine.  I was a little surprised that he didn't even attempt the role's two high Cs, but perhaps it was a wise decision.  As for Hagen, Wagner cannily gives him that throwaway line about being old before his time, presumably because he anticipated exactly the kind of casting difficulty we had last night.  At the writing stage he might still have optimistically hoped that he could find a twentyish tenor for Siegfried, or at least one who looked and sounded it, but even he must have accepted that a twenty-year-old deep bass wasn't going to appear from anywhere.

All in all it sounded a splendid night.  I wish I'd been there.

Bert

I'm personally glad there weren't any extra laughs, screams or gasps. On recordings they can become tiresome very quickly and in concert unless they are done very well indeed they can easily sound hammy.

I think such sounds should only appear where specified: when Alberich steals the gold and the gods laugh at the Rhine maidens in Das Reingold, the laughing in the Ride of the Valkyries and Fafner the dragon's groans in Siegfried. (There might a couple more I can't think of.) In the Bohm Ring, Sieglinde screams when Siegmund pulls out the sword and it spoils the moment for me. I just try to filter it out.

It's interesting that there aren't laughs, gasps or screams in the Solti Ring (apart from the ones I've mention) given that Culshaw (the producer) was keen to introduce sound effects to increase the drama, such as the piling of the gold in Reingold and the collapse of Valhalla in Gotterdammerung.

For me, one of the best effects in the Solti Ring is the very realistic thunder before Waltraute's arrival in Act I of Gotterdammerung - apparently Solti himself was not particularly keen to have it included but was convinced on hearing it.  On the other hand, Wotan throwing the Ring on the pile of gold in Rheingold doesn't really do it for me (and as I have mentioned here before, Solti's Ring doesn't really do it for me either, but that's another thread ...)

For me, one of the more vivid extra effects is in the Goodall Twilight of the Gods - the Vassals stamping (goose-stepping?) in time with the music as they greet Gunther and Brunnhilde.  The associations (not least given the political indiscretions of Goodall's younger days) are all too chilling.

Just got back - and it was worth every mile of the 400 mile round-trip and every penny spent on tickets, fares and a central London hotel for last night.  I splashed out on stalls tickets as these cost little more than very poor seats would cost at the ROH.  Initially I was rather disappointed to find myself facing Mr Runnicles rather than the soloists (previous bad experiences in the choir seats at this venue came flooding back) but the voices all came through perfectly and it was a wonderful experience to see a great conductor at work.  And as the performers left the platform after each act it was great to see how much they were enjoying themselves; and Runnicles' broad smile and thumbs up to the chorus after Act 2 was priceless. 

I almost wished I'd been unsuccessful in securing stalls tickets because then I'd have been forced to prom, and the Arena looked to be the only place where the effect would have been even better.  But two hours in a packed arena on Saturday was a bit of a strain so maybe it's a good job we got the seats.

It's hard to pick out individuals without seeming to overlook the merits of those you don't mention but Tomlinson was astonishing.  The voice is showing slight signs of strain but it doesn't seem to matter.  The man's powers of communication are awesome.  Who needs semi-staging with this guy around?  Anyone with the slightest familarity with the story would know what was happening just by looking at Tomlinson's face!  Christine Brewer seemed to fill the hall effortlessly from where I was sitting; though somebody elsewhere said she didn't reach the Circle.  Gwenneth-Ann Jeffers as Gutrune was most impressive, as was Karen Cargill as Waltraute.  But that's not to take anything away from the other soloists, or, indeed, the chorus. 

I've got half a dozen more Proms left to see but if anything this season even approaches the experience of yesterday I'll be astounded.

Mart,

Does that predict the type of audiance member for the chamber music prom on 27 Aug?

I may go if that's the case.....

Tommo