Dear Sir, I have just returned from a holiday in Majorca, and whilst there I read with interest the article in the Bulletin of October 29th., page 29, by your classical music columnist, Ray Fleming. He referred to the music of Hermann Goetz, and in particular his Symphony in F, saying that he could not trace a single recording of this symphony, or of his Violin Concerto. May I advise Mr. Fleming and your readers that a recording of both these pieces coupled together on one CD has been available for many years, so long in fact that it has recently been reduced from full to bargain price, now retailing in the UK for about GBP 7. The CD number is CPO 9990762. CPO also has a CD of his Piano Concertos Numbers 1 and 2, and another of some of his chamber music. CPO is a German label, but the discs are readily available in the UK. They also have a distributor in Madrid and they have a website at www.cpo.de
As is often the case with the musical views of Bernard Shaw, they can be overthetop (or perhaps better described as 'overblown' in view of his penname). However, I hope that on acquiring the above disc, Mr. Fleming and you readers will derive at least some of the pleasure that GBS claims that he found in the music of Goetz.
Dr. G. Tabbron
Greater Manchester