Presented by Michael Kennedy Early in 1938 Sir Henry J. Wood asked Ralph Vaughan Williams to write a work for the concert on 5 October to celebrate his golden jubilee as a conductor. Vaughan Williams replied: ' should love to write - to have the honour of writing - a piece in your praise if I can manage it '. Wood replied: I cannot tell you the gratitude I feel that you should write i.e so kindly regarding my request. I do not for a moment however propose that this work of yours should be written as an ode to myself, for I would like it to be a choral work that can be used at any time and for any occasion
The work was called Serenade to Music and was written for 16 solo voices, employing some of the distinguished singers that had been associated with Sir Henry.
Eight of the singers: Dame Isobel Baillie , Muriel Brunskill , Robert Easton. Roy Henderson , Mary Jarred , Stiles Allen , Elsie Suddabyand Dame Eva Turner, together with the composer's widow Ursula Vaughan Williams, recall the rehearsals and first performance of the work. Producer BRIAN DEAN