THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Dorking, Surrey

14th November, 1951.

Dear Mr. Boyd Neel,
I am taking the liberty of sending you a score by Anthony Scott. I heard it rehearsed the other day at a private rehearsal by the Kalmar Orchestra and thought very well of it. I suggested a few alterations which he has now made. It is perhaps a bit clumsy but that is part of its charm and I told him it was like the “Grosse Fuge” with knobs on!
I shall be very grateful if you will consider it sympathetically. His address is
Anthony Scott,
The Cedars,
Horton,
near Slough,
Bucks.

Yours sincerely,
R Vaughan Williams

(R. Vaughan Williams).

L. Boyd Neel, Esq.,
7a, Hogarth Place,
London, S.W.5.

1. An article about Scott by Basil Ramsey tells us that: “One incident sticks in my mind. A Concerto grosso for strings by Scott was being rehearsed in a Kensington church, to which Tony had invited Vaughan Williams. The great man sat with a score and followed the vigorous, contrapuntal writing to its final chord with full attention. He then turned to Scott and said ‘Goodness, that’s the Grosse Fuge with knobs on!’ So unexpected was the remark that Scott just gave a huge grin.”
Although Ramsey describes the work as a Concerto Grosso, no work of that name is listed among Scott’s works, and  from VWL2296 it appears that it was his Sinfonietta.