A Musician's Diary

Extract

Eugene Goossens spent several weeks in England during October and November, and made welcome re-appearances as conductor and composer in London, Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds. He also made an appearance—no less welcome—at 295, Regent Street, where he chose several new works for his Cincinnati programmes. Among these were the Brahms-Handel Variations in Edmund Rubbra's new transcription for orchestra and the Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge by Benjamin Britten, for whose work Goossens has expressed no uncertain admiration. Goossens has been a strong pioneer of English music in America, and the reputations which many of our leading composers enjoy there are due to a considerable extent to his initiative and enthusiasm. Despite his numerous activities as conductor, Goossens has not neglected composition, and he tells us he has ideas for a large orchestral work which may take the form of a symphony.