Page 61 - Coverage Book_Aurora Orchestra Autumn 2020

My biggest grumble is about the filming, which when we can only watch on screen is very much part and parcel
of the performance. One of the many wonderful things about an Aurora concert with memorised symphonies is
that you can not only hear, but see and virtually feel the way that the musicians are attuned to one another. The
performance becomes chamber music on a grand scale. The cameras, however, rarely gave us more than a few
seconds at a time to appreciate this. Constant motion, many close-ups - in and out and shake it all about -
offered few moments to sit still and take in the key skills involved. We missed the core of what it’s all about, and
this was deeply frustrating. I envy the colleagues who were able to go to the King’s Cross performances the
other day.
The pandemic has turned the effect of the Proms neatly on its head. Usually one puts up with a dodgy acoustic
and either a packed arena or shoulder-twisting seats in order to soak up the unique atmosphere, which relies on
the proximity of performers and promenaders responding to one another. Now we can hear everything clearly
while stretching out with a nice cup of tea - but is it the same? Don’t give me that “new normal” notion: like
everyone else, I’m praying that this is just a stop-gap.