SIR,—May I, for the last time, return to the charge.
- Mr. Wilbraham would have us believe that the abominable cornet is being widely used in orchestras in place of the trumpet. I, do not know what goes on in Wales, but I said that so far as England was concerned Mr. Wilbraham's contention was wrong, and I say so again.
Is it possible that the young players shown in the offending photograph of the Welsh National Youth Orchestra are playing cornets because they cannot yet afford to buy trumpets ? That state of affairs is not un- known to us in this part of the world, but many good trumpet players started on the cornet.
Mr. Wilbraham claims an extensive know- ledge of cornets and trumpets. Surely he should know, then, that trumpets are still manufactured in this' country in the keys of Bb/A, C/Bb, D, Eb/D and F. A walk down Charing Cross Road will confirm this. Incidentally I do play the trumpet.
About horns, I would only say again that the German rotary valve horn is ousting the French horn. Let Mr. Wilbraham come to London and see ! I am delighted to think that the Welsh National Youth Orchestra is moving with the times in this respect, but would not presume to speculate on Mr. Dennis 'Brain's opinion of this instrument.
To Mr. Beaumont Percival I would say that if he finds the long D trumpet as easy to play as the Bb, then his place is among the immortals or at least the professionals. He has, how- ever, no need to defy anyone to attempt the first trumpet part of the B Minor Mass on a Bb instrument, because no one in his senses would think of it.—Yours faithfully,
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