P.S. Kinnison
This started off with the promise of being a great Prom and ended with me in two minds. Stravinsky's'Petrushka' was given a theatrical and immediate reading from Robert Spano and the BBC SSO - but why choose the composer's ill-advised 1947 revised version rather than the sparky and sharp original score of1911? Still, it wasan admirably directand enjoyable performance. Bernstein's 'On TheTown' I can take or leave - and I'm not sure whether the version of 'Rhapsody In Blue' I heard had very much to do with Gershwin at all; had this last item been called 'Improvisations on Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue' it might have been nearer the mark,though Marcus Roberts was obviously loving his chance to show what he could do with this. I thought, by the way, that we'd thankfully heard the last of 'I GotRhythm' - it always brings to mind pasty-faced urchins and Gene Kelly straight out of 'An American InParis' - but sadly not. . . Old Man Trouble, I've had a basinful of him...

Roy Harris, Bristol.
I watched the performance of Gerswin's Rhapsody in Blue on television. This is a piece I love and greatly enjoy as with most of Gershwins music. I remember the words of my old piano teacher when he said to me that Gershwin spent so much time and effort working on the harmonies and subtle timings in his music that it would take an extremely talented musician to improve on it. Marcus Roberts unfortunately is not that musician. When Roberts attempted to play any phrases that hinted at Gershwin's efforts his chordwork was mundane and added nothing. The Orhestra played quite well but it seemed to me that they might as well be stopping for tea-breaks during the performance and Robert's Trio filled in while we were waiting.They should stick to their normal jazz.I also agree with everything Greg Masters says.

Joe Frog
Rhapsody in Blue is popular work and therefore had far too much exposure. I fell in love with the work many years ago, but having heard so many bad interpretations, I tried to avoid new recordings. Tuesday’s performance was out of this word, it made me cry with tears of joy. The encore of “I got Rhythm” was sheer delight

Shalinee Singhlin
The thing that shocked me most about Petrushka was the member of the audience who had the audacity to ANSWER his loudly ringing phone!

Joseph Haigh, 17
I would have to agree that mesmerising is the only word that can truly describe this magnificent performance, which I have to admit I was a little dubious about prior to concert considering my passion for gershwin. However, I believe that this is perhaps the most faithful representation to that of the original 'exploration of classical/jazz crossover' upon which Gershwin and Whiteman both themselves embarked, with fittingly impressive improvisation. Far from 'spinning in his grave', I believe Gershwin may allow himself to grin a little at the success of the experiment. i will admit that the orchestra seemed a little awestruck whilst performing, but an excellent clarinet glissando, which is always a good indication of the quality of the performance of this piece, well and truly made up for this. it is this kind of exploration that the proms needs to survive, and experiments such as this are a welcome addition to liven up the season and last night served as an antidote to the shostakovich opera of last season which does not help bring classical music to the masses, (as was evident with my parents who are now tempted to reach for the remote evertime they hear the words 'Shostakovich opera') going against the mandate of the proms and clinging on to the elitist ideals traditionally associated with classical music for decades from which the genre is begining to recover. jazz, and improvisation are I admit an aquired taste, but even if it was not to your suiting, you could not fail to admire the sheer ordassity and musicality of the trio.Variety is the 'spice of life' as they say and surely more diversity and experimentation can only capture wider and increasingly diverse audiences as only music can. Long may it continue!

Andrew McKinnon
i couldnt disagree more with greg masters - rhapsody in blue was a truly sensational success and spano is a first-rate conductor

Fender Tele
Great stuff from Roberts and the band last night. Those who pick and moan at have no idea what it's all about.Music is Music regardless of which camp you are in. Frankly the jazz slant makes some classical stuff easier to digest

Tigg3r
I was there in the audience last night and I was left reeling with the radical rethinking of Rhapsody In Blue. Through it I was constantly in flux whether I considered it the worst or the best thing I'd ever heard. However, at the conclusion of the piece I joined my partner in giving it a standing ovation. My reasons were not the same as his - he thought it was "simply magic" whereas I was applauding it's audacity - but, all the same, it was an unforgettable performance. As for the rest of the concert... for Stravinsky's Petrushka I'm afraid my concentration was sufficiently distracted by a paramedic attending a fallen 'promer', a member of the orchestra wandering across the back of the stage and a noise that may well have emanated from a generator to lose interest in the piece and not find my way back in. However, I thought the performance of Bernstein's On The Town (Three Dance Episodes) was joyous and a really fantastic kick-off to the second half which was only eclipsed by the aforementioned Rhapsody In Blue.

JAMES A
Sensational sums it up! Let's not forget Spano's amazing account of the other works! His Bernstein was immaculate and FULL of energy and his Stravinsky offered new insight with the BBC SSO sounding fresher than ever! BRAVI TUTTI!

Gina Banns
This is less of a review- more of a commendation.I envy anyone who was lucky enough to be in the audience last night to hear the Marcus Roberts trio live with the BBC Scottish SO. I saw it on BBC4. Until last night I would have switched off anything billed as jazz. However I expected classical orchestral playing and so was caught unawares, but was mesmerised. It was breathtaking.It also reminded me that one of the joys of the Proms is to be introduced to the unexpected and make discoveries.

Greg Masters
There's a box in a New York cemetery in which the composer George Gershwin is spinning. At least he would be if he’d heard the ‘reworking’ of his Rhapsody in Blue as performed at the BBC Proms by jazz pianist Marcus Roberts, his Trio and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.The orchestra was, to be fair, trying to make the best of it, but their performance under conductor Robert Spano was, at best, wooden and was totally devoid of the late romanticism this piece should offer.The arrangement of the Paul Whiteman commissioned classic concert-jazz crossover piece was frankly dire. Roberts came across as a poor man’s Oscar Petersen and his mono-volumed performance, liberally sprinkled with false relations and bum notes, presented a strange mix of styles. Dreadful.

John Chamberlain
Just Sensational...I've been listening to mainly classical music for 48 years, mixing in some jazz over the last 8 years. Tonight's performance of Gershwin's Rhapsody with the incredible Marcus Roberts and his brilliant trio was some of the best music making I've heard for years. The trio's improvisations wonderfully rounded Gershwin's rather four square structure, breaking it up and adding immeasurably to the overall effect. The BBC Scottish SO with Robert Spano gave full and idiomatic accompiment to give us an entirely new Rhapsody in Blue which will sing on in my mind for a very long time.