Sir, - Please permit me a brief addendum to Deirdre O'Callaghan's letter of February 21st. Thomas Moore's "genius" was recognised far beyond our shores. A 1908 Punch I was browsing through recently groups him with Keats, Shelley and Tennyson.
Punch thus paid him England's finest compliment to any Irishman - it claimed him as one of their own!
The Memoirs of Hector Berlioz feature a ground-bass of Moore's poetry (presumably in translation) which serves as a soothing spiritual balm throughout a decidedly turbulent career. But best of all is surely the contemporary description by Andrea Maffei of Milan, "the elegant translator of Schiller, Moore and Goete (sic)". "Ye know the man by the company he keeps." Surely Moore with his lovely melodies, musically as much art-songs of their early Romantic time as the Lieder of Schubert whose bicentennial has just passed, deserves better than to be treated as a prophet without honour in his native land?
The same thought recently crossed my mind on hearing the recording of Wallace's Maritana. The seeming unending wellspring of his musical invention, and the Italianate pertinence with which he writes for the voice, were as inspiring as was Majella Cullagh's splendid interpretation of the title role.
A Moore and a Wallace communicate with a far, far wider audience than virtually every one of these modern "serious" composers whom your Music Critic reveres to the seeming exclusion of other, more accessible, music. So why does Official Culture ignore a Moore and a Wallace as disgracefully as it does? I think we should be told. - Yours, etc.,
Magneratiett, Co Derry BT 45 5DD.