Madam, - Brian Cooper (November 15th) is somewhat naïve in expecting celebrity audiences not to cough during concerts! He should realise that such audiences are not there for the music. They would be just as happy with the Three Tenors or Nige or the Opera Babes or Charlotte Church! They, or their firms, pay an enormous amount for tickets and therefore feel they have a divine right to cough explosively at the quietest moments. An evening of the three Brahms violin sonatas was an unwise choice of programme for a celebrity audience!
Mr Cooper should have attended the recent (non celebrity) recital by the Scharoun Ensemble from the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The top admission price was €30. Just one cough was noted during an absorbing evening of music by Mozart and Schubert. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN A. RUDDOCK, Ulverton Road, Dalkey, Co Dublin.