My most joyous memory of the Festival Hall is being present at the Lieder recitals given by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf accompanied - partnered - at the piano by Gerald Moore.  I am unable to trace the date of the first performance I heard there, but I recall that it was a Sunday afternoon, and I vividly remember her striding to the centre of the platform wearing a flame-coloured dress; her generous smile as she acknowledged the audience's rapturous greeting; and then a few seconds of silence before her exquisite vocal artistry transported us all through the glories of Schubert's songs.

A year later the experience was renewed.  Gerald Moore was again the pianist, on this occasion the dress was green, and the infinite beauty of the songs of Schubert and of Richard Strauss remain forever treasured in my heart through the performances of these two consummate artists, now deeply mourned by the musical world.