THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams,
The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

May 1st 1943

Dear Adrian

You may remember that you adumbrated that you might be able to run through my symphony¹ at Bedford some time before July – At last with great difficulty I have had the parts copied and they will be ready by next week – does your offer still hold good? – It seems curmudgeonly, but I had better tell you the days on which I am not free – any other day I would of course come with stones in my shoes if necessary – the unfree dates for me are
May 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 15, 16
June 4,

By the way the orchestration is
2 Fl (Picc) 1 ob, 1 c. ang. (doubling 2nd oboe), 2 clar  2 fag
2 horns  2 Trt  3 Tro  (no tuba)  Timp  strings

Yrs

RVW

1. Fifth Symphony (Catalogue of Works 1943/2), first performed on 24th June 1943.