THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates
Dorking

Dec 11 [c1945?]

Dear Dent

Very confidential

I have had a visit from Professor Santos¹ & his wife – she sings Spanish folksongs delightfully – very beautiful tunes to which he had added quite competent but not very distinguished accompaniments. The only other work he showed me was an early pfte sonata – just student work – quite well done but with absolutely no character – just a hotch potch of early Chopin & Liszt. He has composed nothing recently as far as I can make out – & I told him that if he wants help with his composition he must get to work and write something first (I suggested a fantasia on some of those Portuguese folksongs).
Then I w^d suggest his taking his work for criticism to several people – especially you & after you Arthur Bliss – & I said that whenever he liked to show me a work I should be pleased to discuss it – I suggested strict cpt² with R.O.M.³ – but he said he wanted to do “modern” cpt whatever that may mean.
I hope you will be able to see him and advise him. But (more confidential than ever!) I have grave doubts as to whether he is a composer.
Yrs

R. Vaughan Williams

1. Possiby Joly Braga-Santos.
2. i.e. counterpoint
3. R.O. Morris (brother-in-law of AVW) at the Royal College of Music.