THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

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

December 26th 1953.

Dear Frank,

About the Houseman Songs: – I am a little bit worried about Joan Stuart; it must be someone with a sense of humour, and also beautiful diction, almost like a diseuse.  I still hanker after Nancy Evans: if there is only one note which is too high I will be willing to put an alternative: I have looked through them to see.¹
Yrs

R. Vaughan Williams

P.S.  I find that except in one song the compass is

– In that song there is one

but I w^d put an alternative for that
RVW

1.  Concerns a recording for Along the field, VW’s cycle of Housman songs for voice and violin written in 1927 but not published until 1954.  The recording was eventually made by Nancy Evans and Leonard Hirsch but not issued.  See VWL2739.