Welsh National Opera Orchestra, Koenigs, St David's Hall, Cardiff

I think Mr Walsh rather misses the point on the Bruckner . and I perhaps best leave his condescending comments on 'Valleys coach parties' until last. He admittedly describes Lothar Koenigs' Bruckner performance as 'majestic'. It was a heartfelt peformance of breadth, insight, beauty and splendour. But that is pretty all he tells us about what was, for the WNO orchestra, a towering achievement in (for them) unfamiliar repertoire. This was world class playing by any standard. I speak as having heard live performances of this work under Solti, Abbado, Haitink, Davis, Rattle, Masur and Tennstedt - to name but a few. Surely a compliment or two on the playing. both collective and individual might not have gone amiss. The sense of elation and pride amongst the players (and indeed the conductor) in the bar after the concert was palpable. It was sadly rather poorly attended (it was after all a Bank Holiday), but for those in the hall there was an overwhelming sense of experiencing something very special indeed. Their rapt silence throughout this long work was proof of this - and my word they showed the appreciation at the end. Yet Mr.Walsh seems to think a diet of wedding marches and the like might have had them flocking from the valleys and hence put more bums on seats (perhaps Meastro Koenigs might have been persuaded to accompany Max Boyce in some rugby songs!). No, contrary to what Mr.Walsh may think, Wales is not full of oiks and cultural Philistines who merely 'like what they know'. The Cardiff audience is largely a loyal and discerning one - and quite as capable of enjoying Bruckner as any on the English side of the Severn Bridge.