527 To Howard Ferguson, [March 1939]

Ashmansworth, Nr Newbury, Berks.

Dearest Fergie & Pu & Betty,

It was a pleasant surprise to be handed your telegram by William as we entered in state. We’re wonderfully glad to be in, though you’ve no conception of the muddle, because the carpenter & painter are still holding the fort. However we shall drive them out within the next week, I hope. It's going to be wonderful here, & although the house will have its usual measure of deaths, births, burglaries, frozen pipes & broken windows, it's got a very happy feeling about it & I think we’ll get lots of work done.

Fergie, I listened in to the Bloch [Violin Concerto] & liked it v. much. It's easy to imagine posterity finding a style of the age & giving V. W. & Bloch as examples, whereas you cd never find it say, between Bax & V. W. Bloch's music always (no, not always) strikes me as being extraordinarily English! The slow mvt of the Concerto Grosso, the 4tet, the sacred service, this work, might almost be written by V. W.'s brother (musical brother, not blood!) & if one finds, probably by suggestion, slight oriental turns, what cd be more oriental than Flos Campi. Of course, biblical is the word, not oriental, but you’ll know what I mean. Hansen hopes to write you in a day or two about the Broadwood. If you think it's worth it I’ll come up to London. Honest man, Hansen. He's sent me the cheque without even seeing the pianos.

Love

G.

528 From Peter Harland, 10 March 1939

13 Manchester Square, W1

Dear Gerald,

I have been thinking of you and Joyce all the week moving in to your new house and have been wondering how you have been getting on. One thing, you have had fine weather for it. […]

You must not think as you suggested in your last letter that because Ashmansworth is not like Pen Pits I feel out of sympathy.