THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

[10 March 1911]

I want to thank you and your choir and your orchestra for the magnificent performance of the ‘Sea Symphony’ on Wednesday.¹
I never hoped to hear the Scherzo go like that – you know, as I told you, I was coming to the conclusion that I had tried for the impossible there. I am beginning to think differently now, altogether I am most grateful to you all, – I know what a tremendous tussle you’ve all had with it, it has made me quite unhappy to think of it. But at all events I hope it will be some reward to you to feel what a fine performance resulted.
Yours,
R. Vaughan Williams.²

1. The Oxford Bach Choir had given the second performance of the Sea Symphony on 8 March; see VWL125, note 5.
2. The letter text is in a printed circular pasted into the Oxford Bach Choir’s Committee Minute Book for the years 1911-24, prefaced by the text “The following extract from a letter I have just received from Dr. Vaughan Williams, may please you after all your hard work. H. P. Allen” which is dated 11 March 1911.