V-MAIL
438th AAA AW BN
APO 527 % Postmaster, N.Y.
England
6 March, 1944
Dear Sweetheart,
There’s nothing much to write you about my leave, dear. It’s fast disappearing, but I don’t mind too much. You know – there’s something nice about Camp – 3 meals a day, warm quarters, field clothes, etc. I wonder if I’ll mind being dressed up all the time after the war.
Yesterday, darling, after lunch I went down to the place where the London Symphony plays its Sunday concerts – and damned if I didn’t get in. I was really surprised. The concert was excellent – but the inevitable tea was served during the intermission. These English are really whacky when it comes to tea.
In the evening I went to eat at the Trocadero – which has as good food as can be attained. The best I could do was roast pigeon. It wasn’t too bad. Today I’m going to the Wax Museum and I’m also going to try to get to see “This Time, It’s Here” (good title, huh!) – a comedy that is advertised as having played in Paris and N.Y. I don’t remember it – but it might be worth it. That’s all for now, sweetheart, except to say that I love you and have been very lonesome for you on this leave.
There’s nothing much to write you about my leave, dear. It’s fast disappearing, but I don’t mind too much. You know – there’s something nice about Camp – 3 meals a day, warm quarters, field clothes, etc. I wonder if I’ll mind being dressed up all the time after the war.
Yesterday, darling, after lunch I went down to the place where the London Symphony plays its Sunday concerts – and damned if I didn’t get in. I was really surprised. The concert was excellent – but the inevitable tea was served during the intermission. These English are really whacky when it comes to tea.
In the evening I went to eat at the Trocadero – which has as good food as can be attained. The best I could do was roast pigeon. It wasn’t too bad. Today I’m going to the Wax Museum and I’m also going to try to get to see “This Time, It’s Here” (good title, huh!) – a comedy that is advertised as having played in Paris and N.Y. I don’t remember it – but it might be worth it. That’s all for now, sweetheart, except to say that I love you and have been very lonesome for you on this leave.
All my love,
Greg
* TIDBIT *
about Royal Albert Hall
CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE
Royal Albert Hall, London
about Royal Albert Hall
CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE
Royal Albert Hall, London
When Greg went to see the London Symphony Orchestra, they were performing at the Royal Albert Hall. From Wikipedia:
From the Royal Albert Hall's website came this:
Click here for a virtual tour of Royal Albert Hall.
The Hall was originally supposed to have been called The Central Hall of Arts and Sciences, but the name was changed by Queen Victoria to Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences when laying the foundation stone, as a dedication to her deceased husband and consort. The Royal Albert Hall is one of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, recognizable the world over.
The Hall was designed by civil engineers Captain Francis Fowke and Major-General Henry Y.D. Scott of the and built by Lucas Brothers. The designers were heavily influenced by ancient amphitheaters, but had also been exposed to the ideas of Gottfried Semper while he was working at the South Kensington Museum.
Royal Albert Hall under construction in 1868
The dome on top was made of wrought iron and glazed. There was a trial assembly made of the iron framework of the dome in Manchester, then it was taken apart again and transported down to London via horse and cart. When the time came for the supporting structure to be removed from the dome after re-assembly in situ, only volunteers remained on site in case the structure dropped. It did drop - but only by five-eighths of an inch.
The official opening ceremony of the Royal Albert Hall was on 29 March 1871. After a welcoming speech by Edward, the Prince of Wales, Queen Victoria was too overcome to speak, so the Prince had to announce that "The Queen declares this Hall is now open". A concert followed, when the Hall's acoustic problems became immediately apparent. These were not properly tackled until 1969 when a series of large fiberglass acoustic diffusing discs (commonly referred to as "mushrooms" or "flying saucers") were installed in the roof to cut down the notorious echo. It used to be said that the hall was the only place where a British composer could be sure of hearing his work twice.
The hall is an ellipse in plan, with major and minor axes of 272 feet (83m) and 238 feet (72m). The great glass and wrought-iron dome roofing the hall is 135 feet (41m) high. It was originally designed with a capacity for 8,000 people and has accommodated as many as 9,000. Modern safety restrictions mean that the maximum permitted capacity is now 5,544 including standing in the Gallery).
Inside Royal Albert Hall
Around the outside of the hall is a great mosaic frieze, depicting "The Triumph of Arts and Sciences", in reference to the Hall's dedication. Proceeding counter-clockwise from the north side the sixteen subjects of the frieze are: (1) Various Countries of the World bringing in their Offerings to the Exhibition of 1851; (2) Music; (3) Sculpture; (4) Painting; (5) Princes, Art Patrons and Artists; (6) Workers in Stone; (7) Workers in Wood and Brick; (8) Architecture; (9) The Infancy of the Arts and Sciences; (10) Agriculture; (11) Horticulture and Land Surveying; (12) Astronomy and Navigation; (13) A Group of Philosophers, Sages and Students; (14) Engineering; (15) The Mechanical Powers; and (16) Pottery and Glassmaking.
Frieze around Royal Albert Hall
Above the frieze is an inscription in one-foot high terracotta letters. This combines historical fact and Biblical quotations:
This hall was erected for the advancement of the arts and sciences and works of industry of all nations in fulfillment of the intention of Albert Prince Consort. The site was purchased with the proceeds of the Great Exhibition of the year MDCCCLI. The first stone of the Hall was laid by Her Majesty Queen Victoria on the twentieth day of May MDCCCLXVII and it was opened by Her Majesty the Twenty Ninth of March in the year MDCCCLXXI. "Thine O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty. For all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine. The wise and their works are in the hand of God. Glory be to God on high and on earth peace."
The Hall was designed by civil engineers Captain Francis Fowke and Major-General Henry Y.D. Scott of the and built by Lucas Brothers. The designers were heavily influenced by ancient amphitheaters, but had also been exposed to the ideas of Gottfried Semper while he was working at the South Kensington Museum.
Royal Albert Hall under construction in 1868
The dome on top was made of wrought iron and glazed. There was a trial assembly made of the iron framework of the dome in Manchester, then it was taken apart again and transported down to London via horse and cart. When the time came for the supporting structure to be removed from the dome after re-assembly in situ, only volunteers remained on site in case the structure dropped. It did drop - but only by five-eighths of an inch.
The official opening ceremony of the Royal Albert Hall was on 29 March 1871. After a welcoming speech by Edward, the Prince of Wales, Queen Victoria was too overcome to speak, so the Prince had to announce that "The Queen declares this Hall is now open". A concert followed, when the Hall's acoustic problems became immediately apparent. These were not properly tackled until 1969 when a series of large fiberglass acoustic diffusing discs (commonly referred to as "mushrooms" or "flying saucers") were installed in the roof to cut down the notorious echo. It used to be said that the hall was the only place where a British composer could be sure of hearing his work twice.
The hall is an ellipse in plan, with major and minor axes of 272 feet (83m) and 238 feet (72m). The great glass and wrought-iron dome roofing the hall is 135 feet (41m) high. It was originally designed with a capacity for 8,000 people and has accommodated as many as 9,000. Modern safety restrictions mean that the maximum permitted capacity is now 5,544 including standing in the Gallery).
Inside Royal Albert Hall
Around the outside of the hall is a great mosaic frieze, depicting "The Triumph of Arts and Sciences", in reference to the Hall's dedication. Proceeding counter-clockwise from the north side the sixteen subjects of the frieze are: (1) Various Countries of the World bringing in their Offerings to the Exhibition of 1851; (2) Music; (3) Sculpture; (4) Painting; (5) Princes, Art Patrons and Artists; (6) Workers in Stone; (7) Workers in Wood and Brick; (8) Architecture; (9) The Infancy of the Arts and Sciences; (10) Agriculture; (11) Horticulture and Land Surveying; (12) Astronomy and Navigation; (13) A Group of Philosophers, Sages and Students; (14) Engineering; (15) The Mechanical Powers; and (16) Pottery and Glassmaking.
Frieze around Royal Albert Hall
Above the frieze is an inscription in one-foot high terracotta letters. This combines historical fact and Biblical quotations:
This hall was erected for the advancement of the arts and sciences and works of industry of all nations in fulfillment of the intention of Albert Prince Consort. The site was purchased with the proceeds of the Great Exhibition of the year MDCCCLI. The first stone of the Hall was laid by Her Majesty Queen Victoria on the twentieth day of May MDCCCLXVII and it was opened by Her Majesty the Twenty Ninth of March in the year MDCCCLXXI. "Thine O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty. For all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine. The wise and their works are in the hand of God. Glory be to God on high and on earth peace."
From the Royal Albert Hall's website came this:
The list of famous performers and world figures who have appeared at the Royal Albert Hall since it opened in 1871 is unrivalled. Wagner, Verdi and Elgar conducted the first UK performance of their own works on its concert platform, Rachmaninov played his own compositions and nearly every major classical solo artist and leading orchestra has performed at the Hall.
The list of popular music artists includes Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Oscar Peterson, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Sting and Elton John and from a younger generation Jay Z, Kaiser Chiefs and the Killers.
Among leading world figures who have spoken at the Hall are Her Majesty The Queen, Sir Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, His Holiness The Dalai Lama and former President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton.
Each year Royal Albert Hall hosts more than 350 performances including classical concerts, rock and pop, ballet and opera, tennis, award ceremonies, school and community events, charity performances and lavish banquets.
The list of popular music artists includes Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Oscar Peterson, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Sting and Elton John and from a younger generation Jay Z, Kaiser Chiefs and the Killers.
Among leading world figures who have spoken at the Hall are Her Majesty The Queen, Sir Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, His Holiness The Dalai Lama and former President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton.
Each year Royal Albert Hall hosts more than 350 performances including classical concerts, rock and pop, ballet and opera, tennis, award ceremonies, school and community events, charity performances and lavish banquets.
Click here for a virtual tour of Royal Albert Hall.
