John G. Deacon ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>I read, and recall it quite clearly, that he was in his garage doing
>something to his car with the engine running and for some reason closed
>the main door.
>
>Can anyone, please, confirm this and/or the source?  I thought it was in
>Grove - it isn't!

According to Alan Sanders' liner note in the Decca reissue of AA
Symphonie Fantastique:

   The truth is sadly very simple.  On a raw winter's evening in northern
   Spain Argenta and a student decided to do some work in the conductor's
   study, which was detached from the main part of his house and situated
   over a garage.  The room was cold and Argenta suggested that until
   it became warm he and his companion should sit in the car.  In the
   closed garage with the engine running, neither party realised the
   danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.  The student became unconscious
   and was revived, but Argenta perished.

Deryk Barker
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