Letter from Ralph Vaughan Williams to Edward Elgar
Letter No. VWL1191
Letter from Ralph Vaughan Williams to Edward Elgar
Letter No.: VWL1191
From R. Vaughan Williams,
The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.
Feb 19th [1934]
Dear Elgar
I want to tell you how my choirs of the Dorking Festival are loving preparing “Gerontius” – Greatly daring I suggested it for this year’s festival – I had been longing to do it for years, but had thought it too dangerous an experiment as I could not bear to do it badly – Whether we shall do it well I do not know – But if enthusiasm and hard work can achieve anything be sure that it will not lack those.
And it will be one of the great moments in my life when I stand with trembling baton to conduct it – we have good soloists – Astra Desmond, Steuart Wilson and Harold Williams – and we shall think of you – please give us your blessing.
Of course this wants no answer.
Yours affectionately
R. Vaughan Williams
-
To:
-
From:
-
Scribe:
-
Names:
-
Subject:
-
Places:
-
Musical Works:
-
Format:
-
General Notes:
On the performance of Gerontius at Dorking, see R.V.W.: a biography, p.197. Elgar was terminally ill at this time and died on 23 February, three days after receiving this letter.
-
Location Of Original:
-
Shelfmark:Parcel 787
-
Location Of Copy:
-
Shelfmark Copy:MS Mus.1714/1/8, f.6 (typed copy)
-
Citation:Cobbe 243; Jerrold Northrop Moore ed., Edward Elgar: Letters of a lifetime, p.480.
