Another story...It is infrequent that one gets the opportunity to compare
a major orchestra with a minor group playing the same material only days
apart, such an experience occurred for me this past week.  On Thursday
evening I experienced the Boston Symphony playing the Frank Martin Concerto
for Seven Winds, Timpani and Percussion.  Two days later the Hingham
(Massachusetts) Symphony Orchestra played the same piece in Jordan Hall
(one of the finest small music venues in the USA) just across Huntington
Avenue from Symphony Hall.  Largely an advanced amateur ensemble the
Hingham Orchestra plays half a dozen programs mostly in various venues
across Boston's South Shore.  The group is conducted by Korean born and
American educated Jin Kim.  On Sunday the Hingham group played Beethoven's
Egmont Overture and Nielson's Temperaments Symphony in addition to the
Martin selection.  The comparison between the orchestras was most dramatic
especially when playing forte elements from the Beethoven and Nielson.
While the strings of the Hingham orchestra played competently and
tunefully, the brass section disintegrated into a huge tuneless "blatt"
when playing the sections in full cry.  The Hingham soloists in the Martin
seemed fairly competent but no match for the first desk players in the BSO.
While I'm personally proud of the hometown band and their valiant conductor
one also must recognize the higher priced ticket value of the group from
the big city.

Bernard F. Gregoire
Hingham, MA