THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Dorking,
Surrey.

2nd. July, 1952.

Dear Mr. Wilson,
It will give me great pleasure to be present in the Chapel on July 13th.¹ Please thank the Headmaster very much for his kind invitation to supper, but as the programme will be over fairly early and I only have a short journey, I think I had better get home.
Would it be possible for me to have a ticket for a friend for the performance in the Chapel?
As regards the Coronation Te Deum it was written specially for the Coronation of King George VI. As regards the names of the traditional themes, I think it is better to keep those secret, as the titles of them might cause some misunderstanding!
Yours sincerely,
R Vaughan Williams

(R. Vaughan Williams).

1. This was an early birthday concert, which VW attended with UVW.  The VW works presented were:
Prelude on Rhosymedre (orchestra)
For All the Saints
Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life
The Song of the Pilgrims
Festival Te Deum
Let us now praise famous men
Music from the Masque of Charterhouse, 1950
Small groups of the Choir sang the three songs. Mr Draper played the clarinet in the Woodcutter’s song. In the masque, the whole school sang Auctor omnium bonorum. Scene 1 was followed immediately by VW’s Solemn Music of scene 9. John Wilson was, music director.