THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

[4th July 1935]

Dear Gerald
 
I thought the “New Years Music”¹  was beautiful – It just gave me the true Hardy spirit (this will very likely make you furious – but I can’t help it) – just the sort of melody I have wanted to do all my life & have never brought off.
The orchestration seemed beautifully clear – especially when the trombones come in.
Perhaps it wants tightening up a little towards the end – just where it dies down to its softest after the climax it seemed to hang fire a little – but that may have been the fault of the radio. They seemed to play it well – though not quite rhythmically enough – we must hear it again soon.
My love to Joyce. I hear that you heard a performance of “Lot”²
Yrs

RVW

1. New Year Music (Nocturne), op.7, composed in 1926.
2.  A spoof cantata on words from the Bible by Cedric Thorpe Davie and Jon Henderson, performed in a Hampstead studio (information from Howard Fergsuon).