From the point of view of the Lecture List, there was an interesting article by the pianist Susan Tomes in Saturday's Guardian.

She talks about the pros and cons of musicians and conductors discussing a piece before performing it. The main con is that it's difficult for the performers. The main pro is that audiences like it and seem to enjoy the performance more for having had an introduction. She says:

Sometimes it was almost galling to be told what a difference one's spoken words had made. Clearly, it did cause the audience to see us as real people rather than... well, I still don't know what the alternative is: frightfully posh people who inhabit a different world altogether?

The main thing I take from it is that audiences are really keen to have an encounter with the performers that's more direct than just watching them perform. Which is kind of what the whole Lecture List thing is about.

B-)