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, Ralph, 1872-1958 to Peterkin, Norman, 1886-1982
Letter No. VWL1816
Letter from Ralph Vaughan Williams to Norman Peterkin
Letter No.: VWL1816
The White Gates,
Dorking.
October 29 [1943]
Dear Peterkin
Many thanks for your letter about the ‘Victory’ anthem. As far as I remember I have not yet promised to do it, but said to Bliss I would think about it and see if I could think of anything that would be likely to satisfy us both.
I shall know this probably in about a month – If I do decide to do it I may want 4 first class soloists (not members of the chorus) a speaker, chorus, full symphony orchestra and organ.
As regards the terms set out in the B.B.C letter to you I accept them all except the right to publish a “facsimile extract” in the Radio Times.
I absolutely refuse to pander to this vulgar form of publicity. I think that to safeguard myself I must have everything copied and not let any of my own manuscript pass into the hands of the B.B.C.
Yours sincerely
R. Vaughan Williams
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In the hand of AVW signed by VW.
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Shelfmark:File 2042A
