Grace Williams in Broadcasting House - February, the 1930's

from Letter from Grace Williams to Benjamin Britten [Feb 1933], pages 161-2:

Dear Benjamin, Now that truly is a remarkable work [Britten's A Boy Was Born] in many ways. I like best the IIIrd ['Jesu, as Thou art our Saviour'], and the 'bleak mid-winter' [variation 5] i.e. as music; it's older than the rest. Of course all that skill bowls one over right through - but I can't help feeling that some of it - (about a third of it) - again solely as music - isn't up to the standards of the rest. But hang it all what youth of 19 …   more >>

cite as

Lewis Foreman, Letter from Grace Williams to Benjamin Britten [Feb 1933]. In From Parry to Britten: British Music in Letters, 1900 - 1945 (London, 1987), p. 161-2. https://led.kmi.open.ac.uk/entity/lexp/1414583675921 accessed: 28 March, 2024

location of experience: Broadcasting House

Listeners

Grace Williams
Schoolmistress, Composer
1906-1977

Listening to

hide composers
A Boy Was Born
written by Benjamin Britten

Experience Information

Date/Time February, the 1930's
Medium broadcast, live
Listening Environment indoors

Notes

Foreman provides contextual evidence about the work after the letter, which may be of some interest. Foreman suggests the letter was written Feb 1933, however the first performance of the work was 23rd Feb 1934 as part of a BBC broadcast.


Originally submitted by kerriedinburgh on Wed, 29 Oct 2014 11:54:36 +0000
Approved on Tue, 22 Mar 2016 14:32:26 +0000