17 MARCH 1961, Page 14

SIR THOMAS BEECHAM SIR,—In case your music critic's opinion that

BeechaM took second place to Toscanini should be taken as a sort of universal truth rather than an expression of his own view (to which he is perfectly entitled), I should like to state, on behalf of the numerous admirers of Sir Thomas, that we would not agree for a moment that Toscanini was his superior, or, for that matter, his equal. Your critic gave no reason for his opinion so I give none for 'ours--but I could do.—Yours faithfully,