MR. DOLMETSCH AND VIOLS AND VIOLINS _ [To Ike Editor
of the SPECTATOR.] - • • • Sla,—In your issue of September 4th I read a report of the Haslemere Festival of Chamber Music, of which I am one of the organizers, and noted therein a statement which gives a wrong impression of the views of Mr. Dolmetsch and his fellow-workers and seems to require correction.
After describing the music for viols sympathetically the writer of the article suggests that we would wish to abolish • the quartette of violins and mit the consort of viols in its place. I cannot understand how such an idea could get about. • NO more enthusiastic upholder of the violin quartette than Mr. Dolmetsch exists and he has constantly tried to combat the view that the viols and violins really compete. He strives to show that both are necessary as they cannot do each other's work.
He sapi indeed that viol music can and should only be played on viols, but that is very different from asserting that violin music .shOuld be 'given on viols. Anyone having practical acquaintance with both types of instruments will know that it is usually not only undesirable, but impossible, just as in the converse ease.
We should all be grateful if you could give us the oppor- tunity of refuting a view which could cause so much damage to our work.
It is also perhaps not irrelevant to mention that it is Mr. Dolmetsch who- has just restored, to use the lost member of the quartette, the Tenor Violin.—I am, Sir, dc., 20 Aigburth Drive, Liverpool. MARCO A. PaLus.
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