THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

[16 October 1933]

Dearest Harriet

Here is Stainer & Bells letter.  Can I leave it to you now?¹
W^d it be a good plan if I came to rehearsal
Yrs

RVW

1. VW had consulted the publishers, Stainer & Bell, about Harriet Cohen’s proposed arrangement of The Charterhouse Suite, Catalogue of Works 1920/6, for piano and strings. See VWL1067 and VWL1068. On 20 October Cohen herself heard from Ellis Howard of Stainer & Bell:
‘Dear Miss Cohen, I am enclosing herewith a formal permission (in duplicate), for your exclusive use of the special arrangement of “Charterhouse Suite”. When you return to England after your tour I shall be happy to go into the question of holding your edition in manuscript for hire as agreed at my recent visit.’
A copy of the programme note prepared by VW for Cohen’s arrangement survives with the Harriet Cohen papers:
‘The Charterhouse Suite was originally written as a pianoforte solo and then arranged by the composer and James Brown for string orchestra.  The present adaptation for pianoforte and string orchestra has been made by HARRIET COHEN. The name Charterhouse was given to the Suite in memory of the composer’s old school. 1. Prelude; 2. Slow Dance; 3. Quick Dance; 4. Slow air; 5. Rondo; 6. Pezzo Ostinato.’