THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams,
10, Hanover Terrace,
Regents Park,
London, N.W.1.

May 21st 1955.

My dear Iris,

I enjoyed very much working with you again after so many years. I thought you and your colleagues secured some fine performances. I fear that Anne¹ has a notion of giving up, but I am trying to persuade her not to.²
Love from

Uncle Ralph

And you, dear Iris, looked so radiant, as well as making all sound splendid. Thank you.³

1. Anne Macnaghten.
2. Iris Lemare’s note: “The letter refers to the concert in the “Arts Council Drawing Room” which was intended to be the end of Anne [Macnaghten]’s Post War series of concerts she called “The Macnaghten New Music Group”. She asked me to come and conduct it. It was the occasion of the “Little Basket” – the RVW “Diableries”. Ralph tried – [and succeeded] in halting the closure of the concerts. It was the start of the named “Macnaghten Concerts”. Anne herself and all of us [I think you too?] became the Council of the new series – and Ernest Chapman took over the organisation”.  [Note not present]
3. In UVW’s hand.