As well as Chout I rehearsed the 'Classical' Symphony, because in ondon Diaghilev interpolated between ballets a musical offering of contemporary works, in which he included my 'Classical' Symphony. I was very happy to renew my acquaintance with it, but when I asked Ansermet how he had enjoyed it, he said it was a feeble piece and much as he had loved Chout, so much had he thought the Symphony a failure. Ansermet is generally a good musician, but he has no opinions of his own, and as the creature of Stravinsky swallows all the latter's opinions whole. In accordance with these he has decided the Symphony lacks Russian-nationalist elements and any new discoveries, and therefore it is no good. How astonished he was when Stravinsky came to the second rehearsal and praised it to the skies! Stravinsky found it very well done and full of inventive modulations. After this Ansermet had the grace to feel awkward and treated me to lunch.