THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Dorking.

Oct 13 [1949]

Dear Mrs Schwiller¹

May I have a line to say how Isidore is progressing? It is very sad to think he will not be playing when I conduct the LSO on Nov 6th² I do hope he will be able to play for us in the Passion in March.³
Yrs ever

R. Vaughan Williams

1. Isidore Schwiller had played regularly for VW at Dorking for many years. The Schwiller Quartet made its first appearance in Novello’s Rooms, 160 Wardour Street, on 8 November 1909, with the first performance of VW’s String Quartet No. 1 in G minor; a week later, on 15 November, they gave the first public performance of that quartet, and in 1910 they gave the first performance of On Wenlock Edge.
2. The London Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, for a Remembrance Day concert.
3. Mrs Schwiller replied that he was now much better and was looking forward to playing under VW at the Albert Hall on 6th November and would most definitely be playing in the Passion. Schwiller did get to the St John Passion and the St. Matthew Passion on 25 February and 11 March 1950.