phon ically " ▁with ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁them atic ▁material ▁developed ▁from ▁the ▁brief ▁pre l ude . ▁The ▁orch estr ation ▁is ▁subt le , ▁and ▁for esh adows ▁the ▁g host ly ▁finale ▁of ▁the ▁Six th ▁Sym phony ; ▁there ▁are ▁also ▁pre - echo es ▁of ▁the ▁S inf onia ▁ant art ica ▁in ▁the ▁l ament ing ▁voices ▁of ▁the ▁women ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁sound ▁of ▁the ▁sea . ▁ ▁The ▁Br idal ▁Day ▁( 1 9 3 8 – 1 9 3 9 ) ▁is ▁a ▁mas que , ▁to ▁a ▁scenario ▁by ▁Urs ula , ▁combining ▁voice , ▁m ime ▁and ▁dance , ▁first ▁performed ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁on ▁BBC ▁television . ▁V aug han ▁Williams ▁later ▁rec ast ▁it ▁a ▁cant ata , ▁Ep ith al am ion ▁( 1 9 5 7 ). ▁ ▁The ▁Pil gr im ' s ▁Progress ▁( 1 9 5 1 ), ▁the ▁composer ' s ▁last ▁opera , ▁was ▁the ▁cul min ation ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁forty ▁years ' ▁inter mitt ent ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁theme ▁of ▁Bun yan ' s ▁religious ▁alleg ory . ▁V aug han ▁Williams ▁had ▁written ▁incident al ▁music ▁for ▁an ▁amateur ▁dram at isation ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 6 , ▁and ▁had ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁theme ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁with ▁the ▁one - act ▁The ▁She ph erd s ▁of ▁the ▁De lect able ▁Mountains ▁( fin ally ▁incorpor ated , ▁with ▁am end ments