Letter from Ralph Vaughan Williams to Gustav Holst
The White Gates
Westcott Road
Dorking
Dear Gustav,
I was distressed not to see you last night.1 I know you hate it all - but we had to tell you in public that we know you are a great man.
The Lament & Ground are splendid - I'm not quite so sure about the scherzo - and even that boils down to not being quite sure about the 6/8 time.2
Yrs
RVW
1. Holst had received the Royal Philharmonic Society's Gold Medal on 3 April. VW had also been awarded the medal, on 13 March the same year.
2. The concert had included the first performance Holst's Double Concerto played by Adila Fachiri and Jelly d'Aranyi.