THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Dorking.

[21 December 1940]

Dear Leslie¹

Thank you very much for what seemed a fine performance of my 6 songs.²  It is the first time I have heard a performance of an orchestration of mine without hearing a rehearsal first – & I was frightened – but it seemed to come off all right – Maybe sometimes too soft – This was, I hope, the fault of the “balance & control” – but the problem of orchestrating for a unison chorus is difficult as one never knows if there are going to be 25 or 250 voices.
I hope you keep as well as is possible
Give lots of love (on both cheeks) from me to Lena
Yrs

R Vaughan Williams

1. Conductor of the BBC Singers.
2. Six Choral Songs — To be Sung in Time of War (Catalogue of Works 1940/1) had been broadcast the previous day under Leslie Woodgate’s baton.