It will surprise few listmembers that I thoroughly enjoyed this evening's
premiere of James MacMillan's new choral work "Quickening" - and I may
write some more about it after I've read the professional reviews.  The
second half of the programme was Bruckner 7, which I would normally look
forward to with some pleasure.  However, the conductor for the evening was
Andrew Davis and I was right in thinking that he might not prove to be an
ideal Brucknerian.  It was the first time I have ever walked out of a
classical music concert in the middle of a piece - in fact, it's the first
time I have ever left before the end, although the temptation has been
strong a few times (I recall a performance of Messiaen's "From the Canyon
to the Stars" that I would have escaped from if I could . . .)

This time I was sitting on the end of a row right next to an exit, so I
grabbed my chance at the end of the first movement.  I have never heard
Bruckner conducted or played so badly.  The brass had a curiously thin and
nasal sound, all the sections of the orchestra played as if they were in
separate rooms unable to hear each other, Davis showed a complete lack
of understanding of Bruckner.  There was no shape, no line, no sense of
grandeur or timelessness.  He pulled the tempos about mercilessly, never
letting anything settle.  One bit came after another with not the slightest
sense of how they might fit together, and there were a couple of moments
where things seemed on the point of falling apart altogether.  Davis is not
an incompetent conductor, but he is clearly out of his depth in Bruckner.
If any other listmembers were in the Albert Hall tonight, or heard the
performance on the radio, I'd be fascinated to know how they responded.
For me, as a regular Prom-goer and listener for very nearly thirty years,
Andrew Davis' Bruckner 7 was the lowest point of all those years.

Ian Crisp