| I have already expressed to you in person my admiration for the technique of your letters and I now write to bestow equal praise upon the contents, with special reference to your musical commentary which I found highly gratifying - even if I had to share the honours with Richard Strauss in your emotional mix-up. I wonder if he would have been as flattered as I was! But not only was I flattered but absolutely astonished to read some days later what G.A.H. of the Manchester Guardian had to say. He expresses much the same sentiments as your own, though, of course, in his case impersonally: and in speaking of "Hearts & Minds" he uses even your identical words which read as follows:
"A magnificent performance by the Halle held me entranced. In spite of what some debunking critics may say, the unabashed romanticism of Strauss still awakens a responsive echo in contemporary minds. Hearts and minds surrender themselves as joyously as ever to the glories of his music"
When someone surrenders joyously to something they love, such as music, they are in fact surrendering themselves to someone associated in heart and mind with that music; so that, even though absent, feel in the inmost soul the presence of that someone. Which just about explains everything I think?
Submitted by Mimi
Location: Manchester
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