Letters: Edward Greenfield obituary

http://www.theguardian.com/global/2015/jul/12/letters-edward-greenfield-obituary

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Dan Zerdin writes: Edward Greenfield’s voice may have been a bit on the plummy side but it cut through a treat for shortwave listeners to the BBC World Service. Ted was a radio producer’s delight. As the cogent presenter of umpteen classical music programmes on the World Service, he rarely argued with his producers, but, if really determined, would talk you round in his usual amiable way.

He conducted interviews (sometimes with no notice) with absolute aplomb, secure in his knowledge of his subject, or rather his passion, and would provide a broadcasting script that leapt off the page – not always easy for a print journalist. Doing a programme with Ted was always a pleasure.

Harold Jackson writes: Edward Greenfield’s journalistic background, combining political reporting with music criticism, led to his long friendship with Edward Heath.

One evening, he had a phone call from Downing Street saying that the prime minister wished to see him urgently. Heath, it turned out, was at Chequers, so a government car was summoned for the 40-mile trip from London. There Heath explained that a manufacturer had just presented him with its most advanced record player but it was so complex that he simply couldn’t get it to work.

Ted examined it closely, reached underneath, switched on the power point, and music filled the room.