THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates
Dorking

Feb 1 [1945]

Dear Adrian

Thankyou very much for your letter
– 1st I want to say thankyou for a splendid performance¹ & the chorus was magnificent & the two soloists covered themselves with glory – also the orchestra – but there there² was the old trouble that when the chorus was singing I could not hear the orchestra – but of course that was in the hands of the control & had nothing to do with you.
As regards your special points – if you ever do it again do substitute trombones for horns at the beginning – but not both.
The other place “O soul thou pleasest me” is more difficult – we have tried de-muting the 4th horn – but it sticks out much too much
– would you try a single cello muted and pp added to the 4th horn? I believe that would solve it – but it must not be played like a solo with lots of vibrato etc.³
Yrs  RVW

1.  Of A Sea Symphony.
2.  sic.
3.  This refers to the passage 2 bars before Letter P in the Finale.