h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello h5ringer

I presume that we share similar enthusiasm for Kathleen Ferrier. Your overview of her life is the best I've seen on the web. Allow me, though, to follow up on a few details.

Under “Promenade concerts”

I’d assumed that Kathleen’s audition on 20 January 1943 was for the 1943 Proms, rather than 1944.

According to the prospectus for the 1953 Proms season Kathleen was scheduled to sing Das Lied von der Erde on 1 September. This is confirmed in Nancy Evans’ recollection of standing in for her. Why Kathleen’s diary entry states Kindertotenlieder will probably remain a mystery; perhaps the schedule changed before it was tragically thwarted.

Under “UK and European tours”

Kathleen was an even busier performer than your itinerary for February 1947 suggests. On 11th she also did a broadcast for the BBC and on both 13th (Orpingham) and 22nd (Belfast) she sang in double recitals.

Perhaps you omitted 1946 Holland from the list of European tours because you’d mentioned it earlier, but you should not forget that Kathleen’s 1949 Scandinavian tour also included Norway (from where we have two memorable recordings).

Under “Illnesses”

In the final paragraph you state that Kathleen’s May 1952 trip to Vienna was “the last time she left Britain”. In fact, she made a short trip to Dublin in October 1952.

Sorry if this is all a bit pedantic.

Hi there again prosara. So you've caught me out again!!

1. You are quite right of course - the Prom audition was in 1943 and not in '44

2. I didn't have the 1953 Prom prospectus to hand when I wrote the entry and relied upon the diary. always go back to primary sources

3. In the Feb 1947 itinerary, the point I wanted to illustrate was the variety and spread of the locations she was performing in, rather than it being a complete list of performances

4. Norway does need adding to the 1949 tour

5. “the last time she left Britain” - strictly speaking you are right of course, but my intention was to point to the end of the era of European and American tours. Perhaps I could add a brief reference to the Dublin visit

I shall need to talk to the h2g2 Curators about incorporating these changes.

Thank you for reading my entry and your kind comments on it. I am always happy to be notified of errors, omissions and other points where readers find them.

You are right, I do have a fondness for KK's voice. She is one of the musicians who are all right at the moment, but as time goes on are in danger of falling below the horizon. In my small way, I try to keep their work alive.

Curators are on overdrive today - changes done already

I've just noticed that this articles seems to be duplicated. Article A24312935 contains the same or much the same text. And it's the latter that has attracted the most reader comments.

You will notice that at the top of A24312935 it says 'Guide Entry'. This was my original submission to Peer Review. When an entry is picked from Peer Review for inclusion in the Edited Guide, the comments it attracted in Peer Review are moved to the entry itself. It is then passed to a sub-editor for polishing. The sub creates a new entry with a new A-number (A25068918 in this case); it may also have a picture added to it, as it did in this case. You'll notice that the new A-number entry says 'Edited Guide Entry' at the top, rather than simply 'Guide Entry'.

Both entries remain in the guide, that's why you see what appears to be a duplicated entry. It is also why there are usually more comments attached to the earlier entry.

Hope that makes it clearer for you.

Regards, h5ringer

My edition of Letters & Diaries of Kathleen Ferrier will be republished at the end of the year to mark the centenary of her birth in 2012. The book, which will appear in paperback, already has over 50 new letters and is in the process of revision and with new material. I would be grateful to hear from anyone who may have letters written by Kathleen, and any other material or ephemera before the beginning of April 2011, when the first draft will be submitted. My email address is [email protected], and I would be delighted to hear from you.