Letter from Ralph Vaughan Williams to John Barbirolli
Letter No. VWL3496
Letter from Ralph Vaughan Williams to John Barbirolli
Letter No.: VWL3496
From R. Vaughan Williams,
10, Hanover Terrace,
Regents Park,
London, N.W.1.
[March 1956]
Dear John
I am so sorry I was out when Mr Gregson1 called yesterday. Here is a revised version of the names of the movements. I have decided to leave out all about the bells, it seems too difficult. So we will simply call the movement Toccata.2
Love to Evelyn
Yrs
RVW
SYMPHONY IN D
1st Movement: Variazioni senza tema
2nd Movement: Scherzo alla Marcia
(Per Stromenti a fiato)
3rd Movement: Cavatina (Per Stromenti ad arco)
4th Movement: Toccata
1. John Barbirolli’s chauffeur.
2. The Eighth Symphony was to be given by the Hallé Orchestra under Barbirolli in Manchester on 2nd May.
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Typewritten, signed.
The owner of this letter was a violinist in the Hallé Orchestra. The letter was given to her as a present, along with a photograph of himself, by Barbirolli on 2nd April 1956, since the first performance of the Eighth Symphony was to be given on her birthday and to celebrate the fact that up to then she had played 1,368 concerts under his baton. In his covering letter he wrote to her: ‘Thank you for your sweet & enchanting note (P.P.S.)!! The enclosed is a small offering for your birthday, the worthlessness of the pictorial offering, I hope a little redeemed by the value of what is attached, which I would love you to have in honour of the occasion.’T -
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