THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates
Dorking

Feb 1 [1945]

Dear Adrian

Thankyou very much for your letter
– 1st I want to say thankyou for a splendid performance¹ & the chorus was magnificent & the two soloists covered themselves with glory – also the orchestra – but there there² was the old trouble that when the chorus was singing I could not hear the orchestra – but of course that was in the hands of the control & had nothing to do with you.
As regards your special points – if you ever do it again do substitute trombones for horns at the beginning – but not both.
The other place “O soul thou pleasest me” is more difficult – we have tried de-muting the 4th horn – but it sticks out much too much
– would you try a single cello muted and pp added to the 4th horn? I believe that would solve it – but it must not be played like a solo with lots of vibrato etc.³
Yrs  RVW

1.  Of the Sea Symphony, broadcast at 3.15 on 28 January from The Odeon, Luton, with Adrian Boult, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Luton Choral Society, Elsie Suddaby and Roy Henderson.
2.  sic.
3.  This refers to the passage 2 bars before Letter P in the Finale.