THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Friday [October 1948]

Belov Boo
[…] R was very disappointed in Nicholas Nickleby I wonder if you were. I listened to the Grillers¹ playing the Bloch – the best Bloch I have heard largely perhaps because of the fine playing & just as it finished R arrived from London. The Carol League² met in the school house of Westminster School (it has a temporary roof) Michael Mull³ was there to accompany Maxwell Lyte (his devoted patron) & R gave them his usual words of  warning against King Wenceslaus. He liked Headmaster & his wife so much. She is a sister-in-law of Betty Maconchy. The Carol League had nothing to do with the school but is for the blind – & Brett’s blind cousin was there in his glory as one of his carols was being sung – the hall was packed.⁴
[…]
A long gushing telegram from Harriet⁵ asking R to come to Arnold’s⁶ birthday party. No of course is the answer to that.
[…]
Yr A

1. The Griller Quartet
2. The Carol League was formed in 1915 to raise funds for blinded soldiers and sailors, chiefly by carol-singing.
3. Michael Mullinar, pianist.
4. Brett appears to have worked for the VWs’ household.
5. Harriet Cohen, pianist
6. Arnold Bax, composer.