Surely lessons had been learned from the Dead in Tune sessions and the same mistakes wouldn't happen again? Not at all. Off we went to the Royal Hotel (would they let us back in?). This time it's for a long weekend with work on Saturday and Monday. Sunday was totally free. More lunatic behaviour and a trip to Battersea Park fun fair. I'll spare you the details.

This was serious stuff. Recording with Bliss, Tippett and Andre Previn, principal conductor of the L.S.O.and darling of the BBC; Working with a major classical label in a studio where Decca made some of their top recordings. The 1970 L.S.S.O. wasn't in particularly good condition compared to the peaks of the 1960's but this was a big occasion and overall the orchestra rose to the challenge.

The Bliss Introduction and Allegro was a big favourite and always sounded fairly polished. Sir Arthur arrived and his tempi were faster than Eric's. After this rather unsettling start, one complete 'take' followed by some small repairs got the job done. Sir Arthur was a real gent who looked rather Elgarian and his style was straight from a military band. Very professional, though and easy to work with. By the end of day one the Cuban Suite had also been recorded. Eric conducted and the session was attended by Bryan Kelly. We all liked Bryan because he told jokes, wrote good tunes, had a clear conducting style and was always 'One of the Lads'. His party at the Oxford Easter course was a cracker, I seem to remember.

So to day two. Bliss and Kelly were known quantities. Not so Andre Previn. We hadn't met him before but were expected to record three works in one day. It sounded like a difficult proposition but it didn't turn out that way at all. He breezed into the back of the studio while we were playing Russlan and Ludmilla just for a change. Having just returned from honeymoon with his latest wife, Mia Farrow, he apologised for his unshaven appearance, sight read Chappell's Panache, sharpened up some of the rhthyms, set down a complete perfomance and then commented , " Well played. Great piece, Bert ". Our good friend Herbert Chappell was in the control room. Previn's Overture to a Comedy was nigh on impossible to play but somehow a patchwork of small takes ended up as a good effort. Then came Ireland's Elegy for Strings and a quick listen in the control room. Previn was a real pleasure to work with. Dynamic but very demanding, especially of the string players.

Finally to Sir Michael and The Shires Suite. In the Interlude II he just couldn't get the right percussion sound. Cellist Martin Walker accidentally hit one of the huge aluminium ash trays, which were scattered around the studio floor, with his bow. " That's it ! ", shouted the great man and an ash tray was passed through the ranks to the percussion section. I bet Beethoven never had problems like that.

This L.P. has some terrific playing but was always let down by the distorted recording. The brass, percussion and flutes often sound terrible.A great shame because

Dead in Tune was excellent from a technical point of view. Same studio, same production team, different result.

John Whitmore