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Letters
LETTER of the MONTH Kathryn the great
Your obituary of Kathryn Harries (August) played down her abilities as a singer and an actress. I was lucky enough to take part in Berlioz’s Les Troyens when she played Dido with both dignity and vulnerability as well as a rock-steady singing technique. I met her many years later and found her happy to talk about that production, especially when she heard that I had managed to get hold of a DVD of it. I had been on stage during her final climactic scene and found the experience doubly moving for being so close to the action. I asked her if she had concealed a bottle of eyedrops about her person, only to be told that they had been real tears coursing down her cheeks as she prepared to meet her fate. While we were chatting, she greeted various acquaintances and introduced me as: ‘This is Andy. We were in a show together in Lyon in the 1980s.’ There was no mention that she was the star and I was at the back of the chorus. A lovely person.
Andy Hoskins, Leatherhead
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Every month we will award the best letter with a £50 voucher for Presto Music, the UK’s leading e-commerce site for classical and jazz recordings, printed music, music books and musical instruments. Please note: the editor reserves the right to shorten letters for publication.
Tuneless Britten
Benjamin Britten is the greatest British composer of all time and Delius does not even make the top 25 (August)? Sir Thomas Beecham must be turning in his grave! I very much doubt if most concert-goers would agree with the views of the professional musicians. In its 2013/2014 season, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra played numerous works by Britten to mark his centenary, and many concertgoers voted with their feet and stayed away. The reason for the dislike for many of Britten’s works can be found in the view of Rachmaninov in your April issue: ‘Melody is the supreme ruler in the world of music.’ Too many of Britten’s compositions are devoid of melody.
Brian Axcell, Warrington
Frederick snubbed
I’m astounded that no one selected Delius for a place in the 25 best British composers (August edition). Is he the forgotten man of British music or isn’t he considered British enough, even though he was born in Bradford?
Michael Steed, Lincolnshire
The editor replies:
Delius wasn’t entirely unloved! Perhaps surprisingly, though, only four musicians in our poll voted
