A famous critic, professor of music, wordmonger, de-composer and corrector of the masters had produced an opera with a plot taken from two dramatists and music from four composers. He found me one day in the Conservatoire library studying the score of the storm in Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony.

“Ah yes,” he said when he recognised the piece, “I put that into my opera The Forest of Sénart, with some added trombone parts which produced the dickens of an effect!”

“Why did you have to add them,” I asked, “when they’re already there?”

“No they aren’t!”

“Oh? What’s this then?” (showing him the two trombone staves).

“Good heavens! I didn’t notice those.”

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A great and learned scholar has stated in print that Beethoven “didn’t know much about music”.

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A Director of Fine Arts, whose loss we lament, acknowledged in my presence that this same Beethoven was “not without talent”.