THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Dorking,
Surrey.

5th August, 1948.

Dear Frank

Here are the facts with regard to my undertaking to the National Federation of Women’s Institutes.
They have asked me to do a choral suite for women’s voices, founded, I think, entirely on folk songs.  There will be about sixteen songs in all, some for elementary choirs, some for more advanced, some for massed singing and some for unaccompanied singing.  I have undertaken to do this, though it seems to me that April 1949 is rather early since I understand the concert actually will not take place until 1950.  Still I will do my best.¹
They asked me about [a] fee and I said that they had better arrange that with you. I presumed some fee was usual in the case of a commissioned work, and I think this is right, though probably I should give it back to them as a donation; but still, on principle, they ought to give it to me, or any other composer.
That is all I can tell you about it at present.  Indeed I have hardly begun to think about it, I have so many other things I want to get finished first.
Thank you very much for your paragraph about “P.P.”  I received one or two telephone rings, but not many.  I see there have been a few press notices which were just what I wanted, but no offers of a performance!²
Yours sincerely,

R. Vaughan Williams

Alan Frank, Esq.

1.  Folk Songs for the Four Seasons, Catalogue of Works 1949/1, was completed in vocal score by January 1949 and being orchestrated by January 1950.
2.  The Pilgrim’s Progress. Oxford University Press had published the news that VW was working on the opera; see VWL4105 and VWL4106.