Sir, - The well-known insularity of your paper can at times reach astonishing proportions. Your polymathic contributor Mr Myers speaks of "large tracts of the country . . . cultural deserts .
for reasons which I do not understand, classical music is shamelessly neglected.
Although I have not heard the Dublin Baroque Players, I heartily approve of his support for them (May 23rd). Indeed, I fully support the general thrust of his piece; but would that you and he would cast your ears a little further into that ominous desert that so intimidates the denizens of Dublin.
On the May bank holiday in Cork, 49 adult and 17 school Irish choirs (North and South) performed in the International Choral Festival give or take, about 2,500 performers. Some desert! What with relations and groupies, it was packed! And boy, what culture! This does not include the eight international choirs, including a choir from Slovenia who gave a performance of Bruckner's Ave Maria of stunning beauty - for me, the highlight of the weekend.
But unreported, unremarked and outside the City Hall, unsung.
Your paper gave a mealy-mouthed review of a few column inches, buried on an inside page some days later. But heaven fore-fend lest we forget the Dublin Piano hoopla (how may Irish competitors?) - acres of print prior, during and after the event!
No the desert is not out here. It is in that stuffy little office of yours. - Yours, etc.,
Knocknacarra,
Galway.