From 'in front of the box', quoted in Orchestra: the LSO : a century of triumph and turbulence, pp. 138-139
Barry Tuckwell : 'He [ Dorati ] was a bully, not an orchestral trainer.'
Howard Snell: '... He [ Dorati ] knew how things fit together, and if you didn't do what he wanted he got short-tempered in a very quick time. His shriekings in a high-pitched voice became a regular feature. ... But on the other hand, he was almost always right about the things he said.'
and Dennis Wick:
'There was no question of preparation [for the Mercury sessions] You got it right first time. You had to. If it wasn't, Harold Lawrence's voice would come over the loudspeakers: "Gentlemen, first violins not together, first measure letter B.'
And finally, Tuckwell again:
'It was boot camp. .. But the hard work was good for us.
Maxim: The conductor is not your friend ... he's your boss.
Mike Gray
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