THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams,
The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

July 22 [1939]

Dear Miss James¹

I have been experimenting with Pipe Music & send you the results of my “trial & error”
(1) Suite for 4 Pipes²
(2) 3 movements for Viola Suite arranged for 4 pipes & Pfte.³
I have, I hope, not gone outside the compass laid down by you for me and I have, I think, used no chromatic notes – it was rather fun seeing how far one could get without using them (I get once to Db)
I send you the original of the Va Suite as well. Do you think my “Charterhouse Suite”⁴ would arrange for pipes? – Would one of your clever young ladies care to do it?
Yrs sincerely

R. Vaughan Williams

1.  Margaret James, Founder of the Pipers Guild, of which VW was elected President in 1933. 
2.  Catalogue of Works 1939/3, first performed at the Pipers’ Guild summer school at Chichester in August 1939.
3.  Catalogue of Works 1934/11.
4.  Catalogue of Works 1920/6.