Sir, - On St Patrick's Day in our National Concert Hall, the National Symphony Orchestra gave a concert IN which not one piece of music of Irish origin - classical or otherwise - was included. The programme which consisted of works by a Czech, a Finn and a German.
In contrast, I read in a review by Michael Dervan's (Arts, March 21st) that the concert given by the Ulster Orchestra on the same day in the Ulster Hall, Belfast consisted of works by the Irish composers O'Riada, Stanford, Harty and Philip Cogan (a 1790 piano concerto). It seems clear that no serious interest or thought was brought to bear on the preparation of the NSO programme for St Patrick's Day. Surely this should have included some recognition of our Irish musical heritage. - Yours, etc.,
Bernard Armstrong, Monkstown, Co Dublin.