THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

[12 May 1910]

Dear Miss Reeves¹

I shall indeed very much like to help you and your fellow collegians to study Palestrina. But you must not think that I am an expert on him or that I know very much of his work or the traditions as to how he ought to be sung — If after this confession you would still like me to conduct you I should be delighted to do so — perhaps we can make up a tradition of our own!²
I go away for about a fortnight tomorrow.  If (provided you still want me) you will write to me again when I come back, perhaps we could arrange to discuss it.
Yrs sincerely

R Vaughan Williams

1. Beryl Reeves was a student of the piano at the Royal College of Music and together with Rebecca Clarke founded a Palestrina Society there. She later married Clarke’s younger brother Eric. 
2. VW did become conductor of the Palestrina Society. See R.V.W.: a biography, p.105.