Sir, – I was more than amused to read Michael Dervan’s “sympathetic” article “Critics, musicians, howlers – who would want to be a composer?” (Arts, December 18th). This from a man who is notorious for dishing out some of the harshest criticisms levelled at musicians and composers in this country! If all the private retorts I’ve heard in response to Mr Dervan’s criticisms were published weekly in The Irish Times, the question might be, who would want to be a critic? Fortunately, for him, Mr Dervan has the protection of the editorial process that us poor, suffering composers don’t have.
To be fair to Mr Dervan he is a much nicer man than his often harsh criticisms would lead us to believe and he has, in private at least, been personally supportive.
I would however ask Mr Dervan, if he is genuinely on the side of the composer, might he consider slightly modifying his often caustic tone? Then he might see more confident composers emerging from the shadows of his reviews.
And as for your most vilely insulting critic Donald Clarke . . . who would want to be a film director? – Yours, etc,