THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

April 27 [1951] (7.15 A M)

My Dear Steuart¹                                                                                       

                                                            Personal

My mind goes back 40 years – also on a musical occasion when I first met you & ever since then my music & any success I have in it has been connected with you – & now comes the climax. I know that I owe last night to you (probably in face of strong opposition) & I do hope you do not feel that you have backed the wrong horse. It was, everyone says, a splendid performance & I feel most grateful to everyone – & I have entirely lost my heart (not for the 1^st time) to the woodcutter lad.²
My love to Mary
Yrs

R. Vaughan Williams

No answer of course.

1. At this time Director of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The letter is written the morning following the first night of Pilgrim’s Progress. The letter is printed in R.V.W.: a biography, p.308.
2. Iris Kells, wife of the conductor Leonard Hancock.