Deryk Barker wrote:

>I have a friend who played with most of the great conductors of the
>post-war era - he was in the 1950s Philharmonia (now *that*, arguabkly,
>was one of the top 10 of all time) and later principal bass in the BBC SO.
>
>He told me that he was once playing in the pit - probably at Covent Garden
>- when Ansermet leaned over and offered him a job...

Whew!  I heard that said about Ernst but always thought he was more
discreet.

John Dalmas
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