Arri Bachrach responded to me:

>>You cannot count how many orchestras are able to play "perfect"
>>i.e.  in tune and in time.
>
>yes, that is true- I am a bassoonist and not too long ago, you would hear
>bassoons on recordings that did not play perfectly in tune- no more- they
>all do- not with equal musicality but the DO play in tune-

And here, I think, is the great role of the conductor.  He can put some
musicality, expression and feelings into the orchestra.  But that also is
not always a rule.

>>If they all get the same instruments - how would you know the difference?
>
>oboes and bassoons sound different also depending on the types of reeds
>they play on, vibrato, etc.-

That's obvious, same with strings etc.  My point was that the quality of
sound isn't ONLY depending on musicians' skills.

>perfection is not important- besides- it is very rare that a performance
>goes by without some slips- with digital recordings, splicing is easy -

I am ashamed hearing about recording measure by measure, where's the music
then?

>>Another "anecdote".  Krystian Zimerman says he has no technical problems.
>>This is true.  Look what he has recorded.  He says that he plays only the
>>pieces he knows HOW to play.
>
>his playing is NOT interesting- rather hear the equivalent of a not top 10
>orchestra type pianist- his recent Chopin concertos are not convincing nor
>imaginative so far as I am concerned

I was thinking about Beethoven Vth and Debussy. For me - gems.

Tomasz Biernacki
conductor http://www.dyrygent.prv.pl/
Poland