7 OCTOBER 1972, Page 26

Foolish saws

Sir: Mr Milnes (Spectator, September 16) says that during the Allegretto of Dvorak's eighth syMphony, he saw Karajan bring in the cor anglais with his right hand. Unfortunately, there is no oor anglais in the Allegretto. Please send Mr Milnes back to reforming opera, and get a music critic who can tell a cor anglais from a handsaw.

Ralph Leavis Lincoln College, Oxford

Rodney Milnes comments: I hope there is more to music criticisnl than a silly slip between instruments of the same family. Or even between conductors (I was writing about Kempe not Karajan). What did Mr Leavis think of the performance?