THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

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

Sept 23d [1937]

Dear Ord
Many thanks for the score.¹
I am sorry if there was any misunderstanding about the 1^st performance. But while it was sub judice as regards you the RCM² decided to do it. I told Mrs Prior at once – and even then if you had stuck to your original suggestion of November you w^d have had first look in
Yrs sincerely
R Vaughan Williams

P.S. Of course the RCM is technically a private performance – but I suppose the press will be invited. RVW.

1. Of VW’s Riders to the Sea, which VW had asked Ord to return (see VWL4446). Ord was planning a what he had thought would be the first public performances of the opera in Cambridge in March 1938. In fact the first performance took place at the Royal College of Music on December 1st 1937.
2. Royal College of Music