Sir, I have had to put up with the writings of your Music Critic, Michael Dervan, for a long time and find them most irritating. In particular, he has a habit of taking up more space with his unwanted musicology than the actual performance under review. Further no matter how good the concert he has to show his niggling and undeserved reservations.
A good example of the latter was his review of the magnificent Hugh Tinney Mozart Concerto concert in Tuesday's edition (November 12th). After a reasonable reference to Mr Tinney Mr Dervan went on to attack the conductor for lack of control and the wind team for being far too loud. I am a clarinettist of over 50 years' experience of performances of high standards, particularly in Mozart and Brahms, and I was present at the concert.
I can state categorically that (a) the wind team were superb, and their solo and team contributions had all the qualities of well played Mozart chamber music and were never too loud (b) I heard no bad intonation (c) although I was sitting within 25 feet of the single double bass player, I never heard him play louder than the ensemble.
Oh! For the days of the mature Charles Acton and the late beloved Joe O'Neill, of the Independent in preference to this. Yours, etc., Island View, Malahide, Co Dublin.