THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Dorking.

Aug 8 [1943]

Dear Fritz

I have taken a long time in answering your last letter.  Also I have been reading your account of Gustav in the R.C.M. magazine which took me back so many years.¹
You always have been faithful to Hurlstone.² I never could get hold of him till lately when I have been much struck by some music of his.  (Of course I always knew that he had extreme dexterity – but I c^d not see anything beyond).  I agree with you that not only America but all the world ought to have a strong dose of l6th century music.  I’ve been hearing some American music lately.  I admired Copland but not Piston – also I loved Gershwins Pfte Concerto³  – just a series of intriguing tunes – but why not?
Thank Marvell very much for her message –  I send her a respectful embrace.
Yrs

RVW

1. ‘Early memories of Gustav Holst’, Royal College of Music Magazine, vol.39 (1943) pp.43-52, 84-89.
2. William Hurlstone, a fellow pupil of Stanford at the Royal College of Music. His music had considerable success but he died in 1906.
3. George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto dates from 1925.