Item 153 - Letter from Donald Tovey to Elizabeth Trevelyan

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Ariadne ["The Bride of Dionysus"] is 'a joy' to Tovey; has tried it on 'several unprejudiced people' who all confirm his impression that it is a beautiful poem. 'The poet' [Bob Trevelyan] over-rates Tovey's role in it: this is only 'practical & prosaic and mechanical', and Tovey has as much right to praise it as [Joseph] Joachim has to praise the D minor concerto of Brahms. No 'greater proof of originality than the ability to act on external interferences'. Thinks it a totally unique opera. Trevelyan must not 'despoil his other works in this'; cites the bracketed passages in the last act which come from "Polyphemus". Sends 'veneration' to Paul.