▁Williams ▁came ▁to ▁be ▁regarded ▁as ▁a ▁leading ▁figure ▁in ▁British ▁music , ▁particularly ▁after ▁the ▁death s ▁of ▁El gar , ▁Del ius ▁and ▁Hol st ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 . ▁Hol st ' s ▁death ▁was ▁a ▁severe ▁personal ▁and ▁professional ▁blow ▁to ▁V aug han ▁Williams ; ▁the ▁two ▁had ▁been ▁each ▁other ' s ▁closest ▁friends ▁and ▁musical ▁advis ers ▁since ▁their ▁college ▁days . ▁After ▁Hol st ' s ▁death ▁V aug han ▁Williams ▁was ▁glad ▁of ▁the ▁advice ▁and ▁support ▁of ▁other ▁friends ▁including ▁Bou lt ▁and ▁the ▁composer ▁Ger ald ▁Fin zi , ▁but ▁his ▁relationship ▁with ▁Hol st ▁was ▁ir replace able . ▁ ▁In ▁some ▁of ▁V aug han ▁Williams ' s ▁music ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁there ▁is ▁an ▁explicitly ▁dark , ▁even ▁violent ▁tone . ▁The ▁bal let ▁Job : ▁A ▁Mas que ▁for ▁Dan cing ▁( 1 9 3 0 ) ▁and ▁the ▁Four th ▁Sym phony ▁( 1 9 3 5 ) ▁surprised ▁the ▁public ▁and ▁critics . ▁The ▁disc ord ant ▁and ▁violent ▁tone ▁of ▁the ▁sym phony , ▁written ▁at ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁growing ▁international ▁t ension , ▁led ▁many ▁critics ▁to ▁suppose ▁the ▁sym phony ▁to ▁be ▁program m atic . ▁Hub ert ▁F oss ▁dub bed ▁it ▁" The ▁Rom antic " ▁and ▁Frank ▁How es ▁called ▁it ▁" The ▁F asc ist ". ▁The ▁composer ▁dismiss ed ▁such ▁interpret ations , ▁and ▁ins isted ▁that ▁the ▁work ▁was ▁absolute