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Thanks everyone for your advice. You are all correct, it's me having yet another senior moment

Thanks Barretter: two tough clues. I defer to you!
I was sacked as a wise man in this year's Carol Service so I must try to improve.

I have all the consonants for 12a (i) but have no idea who the composer is.
Also struggling with 5a(iii), I have BR? so hence not sure of 10d (i and ii) despite the previous acacia hints.
Help!

12a 1 Greeting Victoria's first walking reins right away.(9)
2 letter greeting 1st letter of Victoria's 7 letter for reins - r.
5a 3 Freedom to omit overture and finale.(5)
7 letter word for freedom minus 1st & last letters.
10d 2 Off about one, giving vague impression (6)
2 Word expression for off 3,2 around the normal one in crosswords.

Thanks krauton, that was very helpful

I have LN as the entry for the second part of 4 across but no idea of the composer. The only one I can find to fit is Leone. Advice welcome!

It's even letters of a word in the clue to give a composer. If you follow his name with Fournier, you get an author.

Thanks ChrisE. I can now get on with stuffing the turkey!

I was thinking the new year’s gifts were a French 8-letter word. So you then lose a two-letter French conjunction to get the city.

Castafiore, yes that’s correct, see earlier discussion @78/79