J. C. Beaglehole's review of the National Orchestra's first performance in the New Zealand Listener, 21 March 1947, stated: 'The orchestra really did very well indeed. Put coarsely, and perhaps rudely, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be.' Beaglehole's remarks, which primarily concerned the programme of pieces selected, provoked angry responses, particularly from H. J. Findlay (Listener, 3 April 1947), who suggested parts of Beaglehole's review did 'not inspire confidence in the carefulness of his listening'. Beaglehole replied (24 April 1947) that, following his review, 'I find myself an enemy of the human race,' and, 'I have in reality paid the orchestra the highest compliment in my power, and treated it seriously.'
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New Zealand Listener
Reference:
New Zealand Listener, 21 March 1947, pp. 8–9
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