THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Dorking, Surrey.

11th October, 1950.

Dear Frank,

I return your letter with my comments.¹
I have found another misprint in the score: Scherzo, 5 bars before Fig. 5: The bass tuba is a bar late.
I believe this is right in the band parts.
Yours sincerely,

R Vaughan Williams

(R. Vaughan Williams).

Alan Frank, Esq.,
Oxford University Press,
44, Conduit St., W.1.

Encl.

1. Frank had written to VW reporting that Maurice Miles had raised some points in connexion with the score of the sixth symphony: Page 26 last bar before fig 8 Could the 1st violins shorten their last note to a quaver to make it easier to enter cantabile on the f# in the next bar [rather than a dotted crotchet tied to a dotted minim b leading directly to the f# without a break] . VW agreed; Page 56 bar before fig 1: Should vlns 1 and 2 break their b flat after the first beat, like the woodwind. VW said no; On the same page at fig.1 should trombones, tuba and timpani have expression marks pp

pp? VW marked no reply on this – the first edition of the score has p

pp in the trombone and tuba parts but pp<>pp in the timpani part.