These letters are directed to members of the chorus regarding their importance and responsibility in the making of choral music. He was a champion of the amateur chorus and the vital role each individual played in the success of the performance. In his words, "A single offense looms above 200 concerted voices like a buzzard in a flea market. There is no escaping personal responsibility. Perhaps that is what makes choral singing so great: the grandest of common endeavors — achieved with the utmost of individual effort. Think about it. Then do something. R"