THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

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

February 10th 1954.

Dear Michael,

Thank you both so much for your wedding anniversary good wishes.¹  We celebrated with lots of drink and a visit to a French film about an unhappy marriage!
Your article made me blush, but I enjoyed it very much.
I agree with you that P. Young’s book is awful, and he hasn’t even taken the trouble to get his facts right.²
As regards the piano pfte concerto, the only thing that is published is the one piano pfte version, with the orchestra arranged for 2nd pfte.  This is confusing, as some people think that this means the 2 pfte version, but it does not: to do the two pianoforte version with the pftr arrangement for the orchestra wd require 3 pftes!  And to add to the confusion, I have altered the end since it was printed.  I think both 1 pfte and 2 pfte versions are occasionally played, any way in America.
Give our love to Eslyn.  It will be lovely to see you both at Cambridge, and possibly at Dorking: leaflets enclosed.
In answer to your P.S. This Day (Hodie)³ is a Cantata for Christmas, down for the Worcester Festival this year.  It is now with the printers, and I will send you a copy as soon as it is out.

Yours,

RVW

P. S.  I have not got a leaflet of St John
It is Feb 27  7.0 pm Dorking church⁴

1.  For VW’s and UVW’s first wedding anniversary.
2.  Percy Young, Vaughan Williams (London, 1953). VW had written to Young listing some of the errors – see VWL2682.
3.  Catalogue of Works 1954/3.
4.  Handbill included here, giving the date, correctly, as 27 March.