THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams,
10, Hanover Terrace,
Regents Park,
London, N.W.1.

July 22nd 1956.

My dear Evelyn,

It was wonderful of John to send us that splendid telegram.¹  I am so glad you were with him, and you know, what we all know, how essential it is that he should have a good rest and get quite well to go on with his great work: and if anyone can make him, you can.  Also, you have got to keep well yourself, dear Evelyn, and go on playing beautifully.  We listened to your record the other night, and it is lovely.  I cannot imagine anything better in the way of a performance.  Thank you again.²
I hear on all sides how splendidly they all played under their inspirer – not only in my tune, but in everything.  I listened in to most of it.  A wonderful performance of Beethoven 7. and the other works had fine send-offs, though I can never judge of the quality of a new work at first hearing.³
Love from us both to you both,
Yrs

Ralph

1.  John Barbirolli.
2.  Evelyn Rothwell had recorded the VW Oboe Concerto.
3.  Parts of the Cheltenham Festival of British Contemporary Music was broadcast; the concert on Wednesday 17 July (broadcast in full on the Third Programme) included Rubbra’s 6th Symphony and Beethoven’s 7th. Other works were Ireland’s A London Overture, and Francis Burt’s Iambica.
VW may also have listened on Thursday the 18th, when his Symphony no.8 was given in the second half. However, only the first half was broadcast, this time on the Home Service, so all he would have heard was Hurlstone’s, Variations on a Swedish Air; Peter Racine Fricker, Litany for Double String Orchestra; Strauss, Till Eulenspiegel.