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Featured Letter
from Vaughan Williams, Ralph, 1872-1958 to Awdry, Diana
Letter No. VWL666
Letter from Ralph Vaughan Williams to Diana Awdry
Letter No.: VWL666
13 Cheyne Walk
S.W.3
[July/August 1929]
My Dear Diana
Shall you be in Worcester on Friday 11th – I come down then for the combined rehearsal so look out for me if you are not otherwise too busy.
As regards comp.1 music – ours is still in the melting pot – so you can’t take it.
The Holst Psalms we have never tackled – I’ve always thought them too hard – but perhaps they are not – anyway choirs love them. I don’t care very much for Wood’s Veterans2 & I imagine it is hard.
Otherwise your scheme seems good. We’ve turned out [the] Basso song and put in Gibbs “Fol-dol-do” instead & Love on my heart Holst for women instead of the Scarlatti also “Sleep wayward”3 was pronounced dull – but it is v. easy.
I suppose you have done the following
Madrigals
Come shepherds (Benet)
Sing we and chant it (Morley)
Fair Phyllis (Farmer)
Camilla fair (5 pts) Bateson
Weep O mine eyes (Benet)4
Thyrsis sleepest thou (? – pub. Novello)5
Partsongs
Cradle song Ireland
O breathe not his name Stanford
Since thou O fondest Parry
Evening scene (diff[icult]) Elgar
Have you done “Agincourt song” arr for mens voices by Warrell (O.U.P.)6 it is splendid.
Yrs
R. Vaughan Williams
Ask again if you want to know anything else.
1. i.e. competition
2. Dirge for Two Veterans, first performed at the Leeds Festival of 1901.
3. ‘Sleep wayward thoughts and rest you with my love’ by Dowland.
4. i.e. John Bennet, fl.1599-1614.
5. In fact also by Bennet. Both works are from his Madrigalls to foure voices, 1599.
6. Arthur Sydney Warrell. The arrangement had just been published by Oxford University Press as no. 611 in the series Oxford Choral Songs.
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Musical Works:Holst, Gustav, 1874-1934. Psalms, mixed voices, string orchestra, H117Wood, Charles, 1866-1926. Dirge for two veteransHolst, Gustav, 1874-1934. Part-songs, women's voices, string orchestra, op.44, H162. Love on my heartDowland, John, 1563?-1626. Sleep wayward thoughtsIreland, John, 1879-1962. Cradle songStanford, Charles Villiers, 1852-1924. Irish folksongs, op.78. No. 1, O breathe not his nameParry, Charles Hubert Hastings, 1848-1918. Partsongs. Since thou O fondestElgar, Edward, 1857-1934. Evening scene
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General Notes:
Date according to note in the recipient’s hand, but reference to ‘Friday 11th’ may be VW’s error, as the letter must relate to the Three Choirs Festival in 1929, when his work was performed on Wednesday 11 September. See also VWL664.
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Shelfmark:MS Mus. 1752/2/1/1, ff. 13-15
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Citation:Cobbe 178
