THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

Wednesday aftn [16th March 1932]

Dear Mr Finzi

Hon¹ & I have just turned off M. S. Saëns – we couldn’t bear him after you – This isn’t going to be criticism but just to say I liked your music.²  I thought the sound of the end part was very good. The middle might have been taken along with more rhythm? Hon says she liked the harshness of your chords – “They were so nice they ceased to be harsh.”
We must hear something more soon.
AMVW

I was shocked when Bob³ told me that that telegram barged in at 11 pm!

P.S. pizzicato gets rather lost on the wireless.  But it all came out well even the opening.

Bob had the time of his life last Sat.

1. Honorine Williamson
2. Possibly a performance of Finzi’s New Year Music  – which was broadcast on 11 March and had a live performance on 16 March from Bournemouth, conducted by Dan Godfrey.
3. Robert de Ropp. See VWL914.