ABOUT THE LETTERS
Ralph Vaughan Williams’s correspondence - with his friends, family, pupils and fellow musicians - paints an intriguing portrait of the man, as well as providing fascinating insights into his major preoccupations: musical, personal and political.
The VWF database includes transcripts of over 5,000 items of annotated correspondence, fully indexed and searchable, which can all be read online. It includes all the letters of Ralph Vaughan Williams known to the editors and is an ongoing project. Find out more about the database.
The text of letters written by Ralph Vaughan Williams remains in the copyright of the Vaughan Williams Foundation and may not be further reproduced without the prior written consent of the Foundation.
Featured Letter
from Vaughan Williams, Ursula, 1911-2007 to Byard, Herbert, 1912-1977
Letter No. VWL2664
Letter from Ursula Vaughan Williams to Herbert Byard
Letter No.: VWL2664
From R. Vaughan Williams,
The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.
March 2nd 1953
Dear Mr Byard,
Your pale green box, full of pale green Angelica, was the prettiest present, pandering to both sight and taste. Thank you so much. I am so glad that you are coming to the St Mathew Passion. The St John is still echoing in the mind, and it all belongs to this ravishing spring weather.1
Yours, most gratefully,
Ursula Vaughan Williams
[Note added by VW]
P.T.O.
I did admire your letter to the Spec2 about Bach so much, thank you for it.
RVW
1. Performance of Bach’s St John Passion by the Dorking Bach Choir on February 21, and the St Matthew Passion would be on 14 March.
2. The Spectator. There had been a discussion in the magazine about playing Bach on the piano.
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Shelfmark:MS Mus. 1714/2/5, f.16
