If I recall, in the ‘good old days’, when the MO was considered more a regional than world-class orchestra, many of the players, my teacher included, seemed more interested in continuing their poker games in their lounge when they weren’t onstage than the pieces they were performing. I have no doubt things have significantly improved since then…still, at the time I was so discouraged by the lack of quality of what I was hearing that I sincerely wondered why they all weren’t asked to re-audition every few years. :-0
Le Chant du Rossignol...(song of the nightingale) 