THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

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

Oct 15 [1955]

Dear Michael

When I got your letter it made me unhappy for a bit because I thought of the sort of man that all that wonderful praise of yours would really fit & this made me wish I could start life all over again and really become, approximately at all events, the sort of person you describe.¹
Nevertheless I loved having your letter because the affection of a good man is worth having any how
As regards the new symphony²  – I hope it is going to be all right – but I feel rather nervous – at all events it is simple and sets no problems – but at my age (“I speak as a fool”)³  I cannot afford to let out anything 2nd rate – which is not really straight from the fountain-head
I think May 24 is the date in Manchester – but I believe John is going to allow me a private run through in Feb which will settle its fate⁴
We went to B’ham on Tuesday & had fine performances of my F Minor & Serenade⁵  (the former with Schwarz⁶  who also did a fine performance of Beethoven No 7)
Who is Wallenstein⁷
All our love to Eslyn
Yrs

RVW

1. Michael Kennedy had written for his 83rd birthday.
2. No. 8 (Catalogue of Works, 1955/3), which was approaching completion.
3. A phrase VW used to qualify apparently boastful statements, taken from the Bible: 2 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 23.
4. John Barbirolli and the Hallé Orchestra in the event gave the first performance of the Eighth Symphony on 2nd May 1956. There was indeed a run-through on 7th February, which Kennedy  attended.
5. In Birmingham Town Hall on Tuesday 11 October, VW conducted the Serenade to Music (Catalogue of Works, 1938/2)(with the BBC Midland Singers), while Rudolf Schwarz conducted VW’s Symphony no. 4 (Catalogue of Works, 1934/13) and  Beethoven’s 7th Symphony.
6. Rudolf Schwarz, Musical Director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
7. Alfred Wallenstein, American conductor and cellist. VW might have remembered Alfred Wallenstein, since they both conducted at the same concert, in King’s Lynn on 31 July 1953. VW conducted the first concert performance of Prelude on an Old Carol Tune, and Wallenstein conducted Haydn’s Nelson Mass and Schubert’s 5th. VW was standing in for Georges Enesco, who had had a heart attack.