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The Weber was straightforward enough, although I thought the the first violins got off to a slow start. But the Brahms was a much more complex piece: I think I would have got on better with a bit of preparation. As it was, as fascinated by the two young soloists from the nearby Yehudi Menuhin school as I was by the music. A boy and a girl who seemed terribly young despite their grown up clothes - full diva dress in the case of the girl. We learned afterwards that they were probably 16 or so. Was it their first outing with a first division orchestra? Was it their prize for meritorious performance in the school in the previous academic year? What did the gray haired second violins think about playing second fiddle to a couple of child prodigies possibly or even probably on the brink of a rather grander career than their own? Did it take the leader back to the day when he was a child prodigy on his first grown up outing?

But the Dvořák was much easier going. A justly popular piece. But I found I had largely forgotten what an orchestra sounded like, spending most of our music periods with chamber work. Great slabs of sound swirling around. All very noisy and emotional. But this is OK in a concert hall; I will still find it rather odd on the hifi at home. Great parts for the wind and the brass. Trombones making an impressive racket at their proper moments. The triangle coming through clear if not loud in its proper moments.

On the way home - the much shorter journey than that from central London being a big plus point - we pondered about the mechanics. What proportion of the orchestra would turn out for a provincial venue? We thought perhaps half the full RFH complement. Would the players on the night be selected according as to whether they lived north or south of the river? Are they on salary and get paid the same whether they are selected or not? Or do they get a basic plus appearance money for each outing? What does the large furniture van carry about - as we noticed a number of players leaving with their instruments? We thought perhaps the chairs, the music stands, the music, the percussion and the double basses. With lots of specialised racking inside the vehicle to hold the instruments. Despite the amount of space that this would leave, we thought it unlikely that the top half of the van was equipped as a dormitory for lesser members of the touring orchestra (with bigger members making it to B&Bs).