Letter from Benjamin Britten to Grace Williams, Jan 16th 1935

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

179-180

text excerpt

Meine liebe Grace,

[...] I heard your first show - stayed in especially to hear it - and also the Suite from the W. Regional, in sections; but really the thing came over so badly that I can't attempt to judge it - all I seem to remember, between grunts and whistles and shrieks is the diminished fifth B-F - But I remember some exciting wind passages in the last movement. [Grace William's Suite for Chamber Orchestra, broadcast 14th Jan 1935]

Re- the first concern R.V.W. [Ralph Vaughan Williams] I know is a very nice man, but he shouldn't conduct. It was hopeless. The concert came over quite well; it wasn't the wireless' fault [Broadcast Dec 28th 1934; BBC Orchestra and Wireless Chorus, conducted by Ralph Vaughan Willaims]. But, oh, the ragged entries, the half-hearted & doubtful playing - and the beastly tone. I know I have heard the Vienna Phil; but I was also listening to the Basel Symphony to-night - under some quite unknown man - and it was streets ahead of that show [...] your two Psalms were a great relief. I know they aren't your best work, but they (no I. especially) contain some good stuff. I must borrow the orch. score when I come to town. There are things I want to know, After you of course the music in the programme was finished. I struggled for about three or four minutes with R. O. Morris and then switched off. I tried to be politely interested in Robin Milford, but failed entirely. The fifteen biblical songs of R.V.W. finished me entirely; that 'pi' and artificial mysticism combined with, what seems to me, technical incompetence, sends me crazy. I have never felt more depressed for English music than after that programme - putting your effort aside - especially when I felt that that is what the public - no, not the public, the critics love and praise.

[...] BENJAMIN B

excerpt from 'Letter from Benjamin Britten to Grace Williams, Jan 16th 1935' pp. 179-180 (322 words)

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