29 JANUARY 1994, Page 24

Back to school

Sir: Sir Harrison Birtwhistle was a recent contributor to Desert Island Discs (Radio 4, 21 January) and, while his choice of music was thought-provoking, his choice of book has troubled me profoundly. He asked for a Latin primer, since he had not learned the language at school. His purpose, he said, was to read Homer in the original. Since the broadcast I have been asking myself — what does he know that I don't?

Ann Drysdale

8 Mount Pleasant, Blaina, Gwent