THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Dorking.

Aug 28 [1948]

Dearest Betty

I am so sorry to hear of all your troubles – I do hope all goes better now – I got your sketch & the Full Score from Grace with a whole sheaf of notes
I never was a good score reader – now I am getting old & lazy & stupider than ever & my mind occupied with all sorts of other things.  I feel quite incapable of tackling a difficult full score 
– If things are possible for you do come down & play it through to me after I get back from the Worcester Festival (about Sep 10) as it wd be lovely to see you & we would give ourselves
plenty of time to go through the symphony & I would not go to sleep¹
Meanwhile have you seen this?   What about it?
All love

Uncle Ralph

1.  The reference to the Three Choirs festival at Worcester dates the letter – 1948 was the first Three Choirs at Worcester once the Festival had resumed in 1946 after the war – see TC p.191.  Maconchy wrote a Symphony between 1945 and 1948 of which RVW arranged a performance on 27 April 1950 (ex inf JD).