John Schroder2nd Bassoon with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Paavo Berglund on 22/1/1996
The English are very good at sight-reading, the problems come after that!
Rehearsal of Rimsky-Korsakov, Overture to May Night.

Stephen Kovacevich on 1 & 2/4/1996

1. We will probably have a disaster anyway.
2. Let's assume that will be together.

Rehearsing Sibelius 4th Symphony.

Paavo Berglund on 14/1/1997
The danger point is where you start playing.
Rehearsing Haydn Symphony no. 92.

Matthias Bamert on 20/1/1997
I am not with you.
Rehearsing Fauré's Pelléas & Mélisande.

Simon Rattle on 18/5/1998
I'm sick of this bit.
Mahler Symphony no. 7, off stage cow bells, after many performances in different venues.

Paavo Jarvi on 13/11/1998
Here there's no point in being right.
Rehearsing Stravinsky's Petroushka.

Sakari Oramo on 24/1/2000
Tuba, this should sound like the breath of a cow.
Rehearsing Stravinsky's Divertimento, The Fairy's Kiss.

Nicholas McGegan on 3/2/2002
Like midges on the Isle of Skye in summer.
Speaking to the violins near the beginning of Mendelssohn's Overture, Midsummer Night's Dream.

Simon Rattle rediscovered on my bassoon part in my handwriting
We just need to get the notes right.
Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé near rehearsal figure 208 - lots of notes flying!

George Hurst
An ocean of sound where we drown in our own collective ignorance.
Rediscovered in my part for Dvorak violin concerto, date unknown.

John Wilson on 23/1/2009
I want this to be the musical equivalent of taking a perfumed bath while having a cocktail.
Said to the violins while rehearsing a Gershwin programme.