Dearest Dave,

What a nice surprise for a Monday morning! It's a great relief to know that Mr Leslie Boosey's ‘problem’ has finally been solved (at 7/6),1 and good to see the Stanley out too [G.F.'s edition of one of John Stanley's Concertos]. Many thanks for both: I'm so very glad to have them.

'The Young Man’ [ ‘A Young Man's Exhortation’ sung by William Herbert and played by Ernest Lush] came through beautifully on Saturday. I thought Lush played really well throughout; and Herbert is a pleasing singer - though I do wish his voice didn't just conk out below E a 3rd above middle C.

Did you hear ‘St Nicholas’ [Britten] later the same evening? God, what twaddle!

Love to all and again very many thanks, from H.

Dearest Dave,

By the oddest coincidence, Bob Dart said to me quite out of the blue when I saw him on Thursday last how very much he'd like to meet you sometime, as he admires your music. As figured basses are just up his street, couldn't we kill two birds with one stone and arrange a meeting between the two of you? At present he is either in, or on the way back from Paris, having played Continuo in all the Brandenburgs for Boyd Neel. So, if you say the word, I'll drop him a line to Cambridge and find out what he can manage in the way of time and place. Two possibilities suggest themselves. Either you come and meet him in London; or I bring him down to Ashmansworth for the night. Let me know which you would prefer. One advantage about the latter is that Joy would meet him too, and I think she'd be intrigued. But it shall be as you wish and find most convenient. I was going to send him a copy of Stanley No.3 this week anyway, so I'll send along your queries at the same time, then he can turn the whole thing over in his mind.

At a Composers’ Guild committee meeting on Friday I saw Guy Warrack, who told me that The Wells have turned down ‘Chauntecleer’ [my ballet]. Cranko, who was going to do the choreography, doesn't find the story really congenial, ‘and animal ballets are so difficult anyway'.