I idly wondered why the choir were sitting all over to one side with men and women slightly jumbled up and why it seemed below strength, but as soon as the music started I realised what a more than cursory glance at the orchestral forces onstage and a moment's reflection should have told me from the moment I sat down. They were being audience for the first half.

After the interval twice as many came in and organised themselves properly for singing. The band grew in size and added significantly to its noise making capabilities, not needed for Haydn but essential when you are about to give big licks to Brahms' German Requiem which has more crash bang climaxes than a triple X porn film.

They really gave it laldy and I could swear that at one point the conductor had both his feet off the ground such was his energic direction. But the piece ends in utter tranquility and Donald Runnicles managed to keep the audience silent for an impressively long time before relaxing his grip and allowing thunderous applause to break out.

It was a very full tenner's worth of music but £4.50 for a G&T was a bit steep for us in the cheap seats. Maybe if I could make it last for more than five minutes it would seem better value.