They did it again - no encore on BBC2. Why go to the trouble of putting it on television and not showing the whole thing, otherwise something of the essence of a live performance is lost. (The claimed it was live on BBC2 just before it started, even though it was running half an hour behind.) Or why not build in a bit of slack into the schedule? If the concert finishes five minutes earlier than expected, they can always show us the potter's wheel or something.

Perhaps I was curious to see what went wrong in the encore: the overture to Candide. Suddenly everything stopped, but they recovered well enough.

Tony, I was in the hall and there didn't seem to be a problem with the Candide overture.  And I am surprised it was not broadcast on TV, the cameraman in front of me was still filming and it was written into his cue cards.

In fact we were supposed to get a second encore (the Polonaise from Eugene Onegin - it was on the cameraman's cue cards and on the orchestra's music stands) but the concert overran and MTT stopped at one encore.

What a wonderful Shost 5!  The slow movement was just beautifully crafted - the strings achingly sweet, the general sense of ensemble quite remarkable.  As for the final movement, I take back everything I have ever said about how I don't like conductors who slow right down after it goes into D major.  It was, for me, a perfect performance of one of my favourite symphonies.

Didn't think much of the Ives, though the playing wasn't at fault - it just seemed a rather inconsequential piece.  Deborah Voigt's Salome excerpt was very powerful - wonderfully sung, other than a painfully flat note at the top of a phrase towards the end.  But it was a very involving performance.  It must have sounded great from further back (I was on the front row).  Given the venue I thought she should have sung "Dich teure Halle" as an encore 

Well, they were in Edinburgh earlier this week. Overall I found their two appearances here deeply disappointing. We didn't get altogether the same programmes (probably because the Bavarians had already brought Shostakovich 5 - I wish they'd taken that to the Proms as it was quite something) but be did get the Salome coupled with the Mahler, and both in my view were rather poor.

In the Strauss, I was actually quite shocked at how bad Voight's voice was. It may be the strain of having done too many big roles too young, but whatever the reason it is now gone. Horribly strained on loud high notes, but not even able to sustain quieter ones without wobbling. The contrast to Brewer last night could hardly have been more marked.

TT's conducting was also somewhat odd - the amount of activity seemed inversely proportional to the complexity of the score and every now and again we got a huge sweeping gesture (or a strange bowing motion) that produced no discernible effect. I also couldn't be doing with all his drama queenery (the way he mimed to us all is plans to go to sleep after the performance, for example).

They also played the Candide overture as an encore (an interesting choice given we had it for our opening concert, which, alas, I didn't attend). But, again, I found it lacking something - with not nearly enough contrast between to the two themes and just a little rushed.

Their other pieces were not especially inspiring either. We had the Copeland fanfare, which was okay, Adams' Short Ride in a Fast Machine, which again was okay and a piece by Seeger, who, it seems to me, is deservedly forgotten. They also played Tchaikovsky's first symphony in a rather dull reading which, had you not known it, you never would have guessed to be winter themed.

It was interesting how much more impressive the RSNO (who I generally consider behind both the BBCSSO and the SCO) were under Deneve last night.

Ruth Crwaford Seeger - Andante for strings.

I suppose, on reflection, I shouldn't be unkind towards her in my comments as I was largely unmoved by everything Tilson Thomas and the SF orchestra play and I should probably reserve judgement until I've heard others play her work.