THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

103. Talgarth Rd.
W.14.

March 8th 23

Dear Mr Vaughan Williams,

Let me thank you from the bottom of my heart for the greatest spiritual & musical experience I have ever had in my life.  I cannot talk of last night’s experience as a performance, because that is just, thank Heaven, what it never was.  It was rather a manifestation of the spiritual powers & understanding of one man permeating the whole of choir & orchestra & soloists & audience, making the Queens Hall into a true palace of worship without any of the outward trappings of one. 
I never thought such a thing possible & it never has been before.  It rested with you to bring home to us the ideal & to make the singing & playing for once worthy of the music & it’s¹ creator.
I don’t congratulate you, but I congratulate myself & us all for being born in the same generation as you.²
Gratefully yours,

Vally Lasker.

1. sic.
2. VW had conducted Bach’s St Matthew Passion for the first time, with the Bach Choir on 7th March. For VW’s reply see VWL509.