THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

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

Jan 20 [1940]

Dear Foss

In answer to your various letters
(1)  I am planning a str 4^tet – or rather 4^tet playable on any instrument – but primarily for strings for your “Haus-Musik” series¹
(2) P.K.²  I suggest that someone sh^d prepare a cantata on the lines of Windsor Forest³  & submit it to me
(3) I leave the matter of terms with Boosey & Hawkes in your hands.
(4) Concerto I suggest Concerto in D minor for vⁿ & str orch (Concerto accademico)⁴
(5) (a)  The Hymn of Freedom will not do for SATB
(b) On 2^d thoughts I suggest your getting it done & sent for my approval⁵
(6)  (Not in answer to a letter) O’Donnell wants some more F. S. stuff from me for M. B. I have …⁶

1. This became Household Music: Three Preludes on Welsh Hymn Tunes (Catalogue of Works, 1940/4).
2. The Poisoned Kiss (Catalogue of Works, 1936/4). The proposed cantata did not materialise.
3. Catalogue of Works, 1928/3b.
4. It is not clear why VW was discussing the title of this work (Catalogue of Works, 1925/7) with Oxford University Press in 1940, but it was eventually published with a changed title as ‘Violin Concerto in D minor’.
5. The Hymn of Freedom (Catalogue of Works, 1939/5) was published by Oxford University Press as one of two contributions by VW to Five Wartime Hymns (Catalogue of Works, 1942/2) but does not seem in the end to have ever been arranged for SATB.
6. For an account of VW’s discussions with Major P.S.G. O’Donnell, Director of the B.B.C. Military Band, see VWL1617 and VWL1361. By “F.S. stuff” VW meant arrangements of folk song material arranged for military band.