James Tobin wrote of Bolero:

>This snare drum ostinato would seem to be a thankless job that someone has
>to do, but I attended a performance where the drummer was richly rewarded
>for his efforts, first by being placed where a visiting soloist would stand
>on the platform, so that all eyes were on him, and, afterwards, by getting
>a strong hand from the audience for demonstrating that the real challenge
>of this part--as with the work as a whole-- is not so much maintaining the
>rhythm, as carefully building a crescendo over a quarter of an hour or so
>from a whisper (if a drum can do that) to a roar.  ...

This is the first message I've seen that appreciates the difficulty for
percussion players in this music.  And I like the idea of the drummer being
prominently displayed, as in the performance you mention.  I've never seen
that done, and I suspect it would make a lot of difference, and perhaps
shut up some of the simplistic souls about Shostakovich.

Bill S