Edward Greenfield says 'Taking the word Hum literally Knussen has subjected A.A.Milne to some lighthearted but intense expressionist treatment even developing a series of aphorisms which present such incidents as Piglet meeting the Heffalump with an economy and compression that Webern might have envied'The Guardian 15th June 1983

'. . .a stunning palette of orchestral colour which transforms the 16th-century material without abusing its essential character.'Michael John White The Independent 1 April 1988

Commissioned by the Nash Ensemble with funds from the Art Council of Great Britain and IBM. This is an atmospheric highly allusive and appealing suite of dance references. Maw's titles and tempo indications suggest a fashionably vampiric nightmare but the music sounded warm and lyrical as often as cold and frenzied. . . the chill chimes of small cymbals and the gentle plunking of a kalimba became the essential components of a transfigured epilogue John Henken Los Angeles Times 2 December 1992

This piece takes its title from a painting by Daniel Maclise (1806-1870) in the Manchester City Art Gallery. Its subject is the mock Celtic Legend of a water nymph who falls for a mortal and struggles hopelessly to leave her element and join him on land. The Gods taking pity on her failure intervene and turn her into a harp transforming her weeping into a gentle music of wind through strings.