THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams,
10, Hanover Terrace,
Regents Park,
London, N.W.1.

January 10th 1954.

My dear Eslyn & Michael

Two things my dears – a daughter of great friends of ours, a girl called Marianne Hornstein is working in Manchester & I have given her your address.¹ She is an interesting child, & has just come back from working in Israel, & has been at Oxford for one term of post graduate teachers training.  She is doing a term of practical work in a Manchester school.  Her father, in his spare time translates Russian poetry, & her mother runs the Dorking Bach choir.  They are Russians, & Jews, so have all the exciting international background & ideas you would expect.  I have lost her address, but sent yours, via her mother to her – & I hope it will be alright if she gets in touch with you.
The second thing is that they are doing (amateurs) Pilgrim’s Progress at Cambridge on February 23rd – 27th.  R. is very pleased – perhaps it may revive interest in it, if it is a lively production that people like.  Denis² Arundel is introducing it.  Any chance of you being able to go?  We shall be there on 23^rd (& perhaps 24th & 26th). 25th & 27th are devoted to St John at Dorking.³
All well & happy here: I do hope the same with you.

Love from us both.

Ursula

Thank you so much for your letter.  I love to think of you waltzing to Hallé!⁴

1.  Marianne Hornstein’s parents were Yanya and Genia Hornstein who had been living in Dorking since the early 1930s and had become friends of the VWs and the Kennedys.
2.  Recte Dennis.
3.  i.e. the performance of Bach’s St John’s Passion.
4.  Written on the back of the envelope. The reference is to the annual Hallé Ball.