In January 1936 I undertook a tour with Clifford Curzon under the auspices of the British Council, which was to include Prague, Budapest, Sofia, Cracow and Warsaw. I particularly enjoyed the Budapest recital for the acoustic qualities of the chamber music hall were inspiringly good. The sounds seemed wafted away with so mellow a resonance, such clearness in pianissimo and without the slightest echo in fortissimo. But let me tell the reader the following astonishing facts: there were two massive stone pillars at the back of the platform; and in the auditorium were quite a number of similar pillars in the centre and at the sides. When we first saw them at our morning rehearsal Clifford and I were filled with dread. How could music possibly sound well with these obstructions? So much for our knowledge of the mysteries of acoustics. << less