THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

9th April, 1952.

Dear Roy

The International Folk Dance Conference want to do my “Four Seasons” with a small choir and the Boyd Neel Orchestra, which consists of, (as perhaps you know), double wood wind, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani and harp with, I think, 6,4,4,4,2 string players. Woulds you undertake to re-score it for this or some similar small combination? I think trombone and tuba would be quite out of place. A good deal if it will, I think, do as it stands and perhaps if you will undertake it all you would have to do would be to “cue in” one of the present scores for the proposed orchestra, and then have the necessary altered parts copied.
I think this would be a private arrangement between me and you and not between you and the Oxford Press. The performance is the beginning of July.
Will you let me know if you think you can do it? I do hope you can. I think if we can manage less than complete double woodwind – e.g. only one oboe and one bassoon it would be better, but Boyd Neel people are prepared for complete double wood wind. Of course, the actual personnel of the orchestra could be modified if necessary. The point is, it must not be too heavy or loud.
    Yrs
    R Vaughan Williams