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
