THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Palos Verdes Estates,
California

October 27, 1957

Dear Dr. Williams:

I was very happy to listen to Mitropoulos’ superb performance of your F minor Symphony on your 85th birthday, to which I send you my belated congratulations.
I would also like you to know what great pleasure – or rather, anticipated pleasure – I derived from the playing through of your Housman Song Cycle, (alas, without the soprano part,) and how much I am looking forward to trying them out and playing them with a congenial singer sometime next season.¹
With best remembrances,
Yours sincerely,

Joseph Szigeti

This season too I will be opening my XXth Century sonata cycle with your sonata: in four more places (eleven up to now): at – Princeton University, Univers. of Indiana, Vassar College and Williams College Williamstown (Mass.)  I will record your sonata on tape for Stockholm Radio on May 15th and will try to get a copy for you.¹ My latest USA Columbia record consists of four contemporary works: The Ravel & Hindemith (1935), The 1947 Prokofieff Solo sonata and his early 5 Songs without words arranged by himself for violin and piano.

1. Along the Field: Eight Housman Songs for voice and violin, Catalogue of Works 1927/1.
2. Sonata in A minor for violin and piano, Catalogue of Works 1954/4, dedicated to Frederick Grinke.