THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

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

[About November 1941]

Dear John

Thankyou for “Sarnia”¹ – I think No 1 is beautiful & I liked the simplicity of No 2 so much – I hope you don’t think it cheeky of me to say all this.  No 3 I did not make so much of first time – partly because the pianistic brilliancy of it prevented my seeing the wood for the trees.
I used to feel the same with Elgar’s Symphonies – the actual orchestral virtuosity prevented me seeing the music behind it – all my own fault as I realise now
Yrs

RVW

1. For piano, composed 1940-41.