John Mansfield Thomson: Notes towards a biography

About

In this delightful collection of anecdotes, various New Zealand artists and personalities relate their encounters with leading musicologist John Mansfield Thomson.

When John Mansfield Thomson died it was declared that something should be done to capture the essence of this eminent musicologist and aesthete while memories were still fresh. In time a biography may be written, but in the meantime we have this marvellous collection of memories and tributes.

They deal with John's early life, his student years, the London period, and his return to New Zealand. No brief was given to contributors about what they should write. Some have written poems and some letters: all with love and admiration of a life well and truly lived, and of someone who gave hospitality, friendship and encouragement every day of that life.

'His country should be proud of him and set about recording with the exemplary accuracy that he himself prized, his extraordinary life and his extraordinary life's work. It is vital that future generations should know about him' - Donald Mitchell.

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