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.
SPONSORED: Ensemble. Unjustly Neglected - In this specially extended feature, Armstrong Gibbs' re-discovered 'Passion according to St Luke' impresses Roderic Dunnett.
All sponsored features >>
SPONSORED: DVD Spotlight. Olympic Scale - Charles Gounod's Roméo et Juliette, reviewed by Robert Anderson.
All sponsored features >>
Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel
Some scholars believe that the famous song Bist du bei mir was written not by J S Bach, but by a son of Germany's Harz Mountains - Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel (13 January 1690 - 27 November 1749). Stölzel learnt music from his organist father, studied theology at Leipzig University, taught music in Breslau to earn money, then travelled, taught again and was finally appointed Kapellmeister at the court in Gotha. He composed music for stage and church, although much has been lost.