Letter from Grace Williams to Benjamin Britten [Feb 1933

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

161-2

text excerpt

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 ever wrote a work that was completely a masterpeice? ('Mid-summer Night's Dream' said she in a whisper - but then the poor chap never surpassed this supreme feat of his 17 years - tragic, I think, to have written one's best work at 17.)

I was disappointed in the way the did the 'Herod' [variation 2] - it seemed to me to want lots more fire - and they could have done it; - the Ist ['Lullay, Jesu'], apart from the rather hazy performance, I feel is a but too reactionary; I know I liked it when I first heard it but now I feel it's too typically English and this same criticism I apply to part of the Finale - can't remember the tune, but I beleive it's got the rise of a 7th in it and a bit stidgy - it's towards the end; I think most of the Finale quite thrilling but it seems to me too long and this particular tune I feel is rather an anti-climax.

I was sorry that the Herod wasn't done better, because from what I remember of it, from last year, it is tremendously good and I think I might be inclined to raise it to the standard of III and IV. And I was quite heartbroken at the dreadful singing of the boys - rubbish! - and why on earth were they engaged when there are surely, dozens of choirboys in London who can at least sing. A terrible shame, - but never mind, when it's done at Q.H. [?Queen's Hall], you'll have to see that you get really angelic choirboys - and put them in the gallery; I do feel that boys ought to be away from the big choir (which of course is impossible at Broadcasting House). ...

Yours

GRACE

excerpt from 'Letter from Grace Williams to Benjamin Britten [Feb 1933' pp. 161-2 (388 words)

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