h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Violinist of acceptable standard wishes to contribute to the overall row. But only if I'm allowed to sit next to the cellists.

ooh... slight problem there... violinnists sit on the other side of the conductor's stand to the cellists.... going right -> left, from the back (clockwise), we go Violins, Second violins, violas, cellists.... *thinks*

yes yes yes but in every orchestra I've ever played in the cello section has had the prettiest girls. Anyway, if you had a completely CIRCULAR arrangement with the conductor standing at the centre then the cellos would then be contiguous into the 1st violins. Couldn't we give that a go?

Well... not always. Some of the time.

Tell you what... if you're opposite them, you get the best view, right? And it's the easiest place to exchange winks AND play at the same time.

And of course the strings are always next to each other at orchestral social events.

OK then, youre argumw=ent sways me, I'm happy to stick with convention...

*grins*... excellent choice, sir. Will you be going with the firsts, or the seconds?

solid second string for your bow

...and whilst I'm here, how about Sibelius' 2nd symphony and a tune by the Eagles that goes "ba-ba *rest* bada bada ba baa, ba-ba *rest* bada baaaa" as used in a radio 4 sci-fi drama series in the late 1970's...

*adds you to page*

Hmm... they sound good..