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. 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 Curle² 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 Carnegie³) 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.
Gil came to dinner here – so did Kathleen Long,⁴ 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.⁵ 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. i.e. Gilmour Jenkins and Adeline’s sister, Cordelia Curle.
3. Hattie Carnegie was a well-known Viennese-born New York  dress designer.
4. Kathleen Long, the English pianist.
5. The Martels were presumably friends, possibly refugees,  known to both Ursula and her  mother.