THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

14th June, 1950

Dear Roy Douglas

First I want to thank you most heartily for your splendid work on my Folk Song Cantata.¹
Now I hear that you have been troubled with me again. There are three points about the “Fantasia” I want you to look out for:²
1. The pitch of the piccolo. I sometimes think I write it too high and sometimes too low. Please alter that according to your own taste.
2. The pitch of the Glockenspiel. The same thing applies.
3. At letter H I think it ought to have added some more red ink organ in those places where at present it has bars rests. Will you add those if you think fit?

Yrs
R Vaughan Williams

I think it will really be better to have two scores one full orchestra & the other str: & organ – I think Foote³ is writing to you about this

1. Folk songs of the four seasons. See VWL1971.
2. Fantasia on Christmas carols.
3. Guthrie Foote was Music Editor of Oxford University Press.