Mary Esterheld suggested that date of birth might have something to do
with conducting talent.

It sounds a little like an old cliche but one can observe that artistic
achievement frequently grows out of a degree of hardship; many of the
Hungarians mentioned had suffered under the nazi or communist regimes.

Look, for example, what the USA produced following the depression and
especially in terms of Broadway musicals.  And the recordings made in Vienna
following the war or by artists who had spent the war years in that city.

Before the Lebanese war the other Arab nations totally ignored Lebanese
song (apart from Fairuz); now that country controls, at any one time,
about 50% of the Arab hit parade.

If anyone wants to be assured of the "chemistry" to which I refer I suggest
(as two of many possible examples) the great Erich Kunz singing "Wie mein
Ahn'l zwanzig Jahr" (from Der Vogelhandler) and Irmgard Seefried singing
"Ruhe sanft mein holdes Leben" (from Zaide).

Whilst there was probably some heating in the Kingsway Hall in 1953 for
Seefried, one can imagine Kunz in the Musikvereinsaal in 1951 wrapped in
a heavy overcoat - and what a result!  Both these items are on Testament.

Neither, indeed, should one ignore the most magnificent Beethoven 9 on
record (yes, ever!) - Philharmonia/Furtwangler (Lucerne Festival, 8/54) on
Tahra FURT 1003 (and in amazing sound, from Swiss Radio).  If anyone has
ever heard an Adagio like this please mail me (I won't believe them, but
will be happy to read it!).

And finally, perhaps, take a close look at what, from the great comfort
of our over-heated homes, is produced today both in performance and
(especially) in composition!  And is there, in contrast, anything more
boring than the many CD "flavours of the month" which we are offered?

John G. Deacon
Home page: http://www.ctv.es/USERS/j.deacon
PIPEDOWN - Campaign Against Piped Music  http://www.btinternet.com/~pipedown