THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Saturday [21 April 1951]

…. Thank you so much for the heavenly flowers – they really do the gardeners credit. I brought some down here.
Life has been hectic. Covent Garden rehearsals going full out, & the Dorking Festival, & Mrs V.W. frightfully ill – no-one can discover what it is, but she has temperatures varying between 102 and 97, & has lost the use of her hands – it’s wretched for her, particularly just now.¹  Ralph is managing well, though this week has been rather too much of a good thing – leaving the house at 8.40 – Rehearsals 10-1.30, sandwiches in the car, conducting rehearsals from 2.45 – 5.30, & then an evening concert – but now its only Covent Garden.² Of course it’s thrilling, & exasperating and satisfying & unsatisfying – but it’s doing pretty well, & not too unlike what he intended – the orchestra is good, & the singers know their music, but he wants more acting.
The major worry just now is Appolyon [sic], whether he can possibly fall dead in a 3ft mask, & if so – how to get him off stage without ruining his wings! It’s all set for Thursday, Ralph, Gil, & Mrs Curle³ will dine with me first, (his party) & we are going to a party given by the management afterwards. Then you shall have your evening coat back! I have been grateful for it.
I wore my blue American (Hattie Carnegie⁴) dress to make my speech in. It went well, & I enjoyed doing it – in fact I think public speaking may be a taste as easily acquired as a taste for gin –  & everyone was very nice about it. I was on the Milton –  Handel night, so the matter was easy.⁵
Gil came to dinner here – so did Kathleen Long,⁶ who was playing  – frightfully pleased with herself as she had made her own dress – so I had plenty of support, & Ralph was pleased with me.
All these activities have rather interfered with gardening. I don’t know how that was so – but everything is so behind this year.
The Martels were in London on Monday, so I had them & their parents to dinner – not a word of English among them.⁷ There were 6 of us, & 7 of them, & then dancing & singing, all very gay & bilingual – but I did rather tremble for the floor!
No news otherwise.
Thank you so much –
Love

U

1. Adeline died shortly afterwards on 10th May.
2. The first performance of VW’s opera Pilgrim’s Progress at Covent Garden was on 26 April 1951.
2. i.e. Gilmour Jenkins and Adeline’s sister, Cordelia Curle.
3. Hattie Carnegie was a well-known Viennese-born New York  dress designer.
4. The Milton-Handel night at the Leith Hill Musical Festival was Tuesday 27 April, when Gilmour Jenkins was also present.
5. Kathleen Long, the English pianist.
6. The Martels were presumably friends, possibly refugees,  known to both Ursula and her  mother.