THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

[March 1st 1951]

[Extract]

Belov Boo

… R has gone to the Dork Halls to see to the desk & the music before his full rehearsals.¹ He has had a good lunch & is feeling well prepared, but Steuart last night rang up to say 5 minutes more music was wanted between Act 1 & 2 & R’s thoughts have been switched on to this problem² –  he thinks already how he will do it – but it involves a good deal of work! It’s just a practical difficulty of changing scenes …
A

1. For performance of the Matthew Passion on March 3rd as part of the Leith Hill Musical Festival.
2. i.e. of Pilgrim’s Progress. The piece was the ‘Nocturne (Intermezzo)’ sung by Watchful: ‘into thy hands, O Lord’.