Cold-calling ET
Sir: Alexander Chancellor has called for Spectator readers to suggest a message to send into space on behalf of the world, in response to some Russian billionaire’s prize of £1 million for the best (Long life, 19 September). Given that the nearest form of intelligent life is at least 60,000,000,000,000 miles away, it had better be a good ’un, as we all know what we Earthlings tend to do with cold-callers. Moreover, given that the bulk of the world’s population cleave to the notion that our life-form is God-given and unique among the planets, it should probably be penned by a consummate ad man; someone steeped in the art of dissembling while remaining, of course, legal, decent, honest and true. Maybe, therefore, something along the lines of: ‘Earth. There’s no place like it.’ Perhaps Rory Sutherland could be persuaded to give it a spin?
Simon Platman
London E9
Alsop’s achievements
Sir: What has the Revd Anthony Pellegrini (Letters, 26 September) against Marin Alsop, who made history by becoming the first woman to conduct the Last Night of the Proms in 2013? Her return this year felt like a homecoming: she was at ease in a programme ranging from Delibes and Strauss to The Sound of Music. And the audience adored her. Alsop, an American, is no ingénue: she is musical director of the Baltimore Symphony and has guest-conducted many of the world’s great orchestras. Switching off at the sight of her, as Mr Pellegrini says he did, seems somewhat unreasonable.
John O’Byrne
Dublin
It’s better in Scunthorpe
Sir: Readers will be pleased to know that a traditional, unashamedly jingoistic Last Night of the Proms was performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by the excellent John Rigby at the Baths Hall in Scunthorpe.
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