THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

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

October 31 [1940]

Dear Sir

I have been appointed to a Committee to recommend for release from internment musicians “of eminent distinction who have made outstanding contributions to art”.¹ 
The following names have been sent me.  D^r. Hans Heimler, musicologist.   Winternitz – Max Wolf Opera composer – Otto Huettenbach Gamba player – Otto Jorysz double bass player W. Jorysz Organist, Allan Gray film composer, Manuel Joubert singer and linguist Wolfgang Brautschneider – Cellist.
Can my C^tee in your opinion recommend any of these names as being distinguished?³
I need hardly say that your letter will be treated as confidential by my C^tee –
Yours sincerely

R Vaughan Williams

1. On this committee, set up under VW’s chairmanship, to advise the Home Office on the release of interned alien musicians see Hugh Cobbe, ‘Vaughan Williams, Germany and the German tradition’, in Alain Frogley (ed.),  Vaughan Williams Studies, Cambridge 1996, pp.93-94.
2. On the original of this letter, Bush appears to have underlined Wolf and Huettenbach and put crosses against Jorysz, Jorysz, Gray and Joubert. In replying to VW, Bush said he had no personal knowledge but had consulted Ernst Meyer, the musicologist, who recommended Heimler, Huettenbach and Wolf, on grounds of musical distinction.