Then came the Ernest Read Symphony, supposedly composed of young professionals, but containing one or two people like myself who hadn't even a union card at that time. Ernest was wonderful. A true gentleman, he somehow got us through a tremendous repertoire with ease, and with never a really sharp word to anyone. He was one of the kindest men I ever knew, and his obvious love of music was communicable and an inspiration to us all... For the present I was content to bask in the presence of the brightest of my young contemporaries from the Royal College and the Royal Academy of Music - Dennis Brain, then just sixteen and already among the greatest horn players in the world, his brother Leonard, a chemist turned oboeist [sic] and a pupil of the celebrated Alec Whittaker of the BBC Symphony, and Gareth Morris, the favourite pupil of the great flautist Robert Murchie, who in his will bequeathed to him his wonderful old Rudal [sic] Carte flue as his natural successor. Then there was the great Archie Camden, master of the bassoon, and a joy to play with. << less