THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams,
The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

Jan 27 [1940]

Dear Gerald

Your tune is beautiful¹ and Elsie sang it divinely – I wish I c^d have seen you both after the show – but I had to rush off. I thought the orch v. good – & I believe the music suits the small orch: better than a big one – because it sounds more individual.
I am glad the Times (Howes?) saw the point.²
My love to Joyce
Yrs

RVW

1. The premiere of Finzi’s Dies Natalis was given in the Wigmore Hall on Friday 26 January 1940 with the Maurice Miles String Orchestra and Elsie Suddaby. The audience included VW, Finzi, Leighton Lucas, Montague Philips, Britten, Rubbra, Isobel Baillie, Albert Sammons and Lionel Tertis.
2. Frank Howes was music critic of The Times newspaper, and the newspaper published a good review on 27th.