THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

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

November 26th 1957.

Dear Michael,

I am so sorry about Eslyn, I will not say more because I know Ursula is writing to you about that.  I am ridiculously well except for this absurd leg: as a matter of fact there are one or two things I was glad to be able to miss … on the other hand, I have had to refuse an invitation to judge at a beauty competition (R.A.M. Students!) which is sad.¹
Most of Stravinsky bores me.  I wish he even shocked me: especially the Rite of Spring.  I do not think the scoring is masterly at all, he always makes a nasty sour sound with his orchestra; but I do like Symphony of Psalms, Les Noces, and the Suite for Violin and Pianoforte, of which I once heard a record under very peculiar circumstances, of which I will tell you one day.²
Having “released” the new symphony³ I am proceeding to rewrite it!  I shall then pass it on to Roy⁴ to “copy”.  I do not know if the last stage of that symphony will be worse than the first.
We are going to hear Bartok’s Bluebeard – all being well – on Friday, if the Doctor will let me.  I once heard it broadcast, and disliked it extremely, but of course that is not a fair test of a stage work.⁵
Yrs

RVW⁶

1.  VW had had an attack of phlebitis.
2.  According to MK, “a night-train-journey acquaintance invited him to hear this record, and others, in the early hours of the morning before RVW caught the first train to Dorking.” (See WVW p.390).
3.  The Ninth Symphony (CW 1957/4).
4.  Roy Douglas, VW’s assistant and copyist.
5.  According to MK, he liked it very much after seeing it performed on stage.
6.  This letter reprinted in part in MK, WVW, 389-90.