PROVOCATIVE THOUGHTS: 
The late Patric Standford may have written these short pieces deliberately to provoke our feedback. If so, his success is reflected in the rich range of readers' comments appearing at the foot of most of the pages.
Elisabeth Schumann
The German soprano, Elisabeth Schumann, was born in Merseburg on 13 June 1888 and lived until 23 April 1952. She was one of the most admired singers of her day, excelling in both lieder and opera. Her exceptional role was Sophie in Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier, with which she made her stage début.