THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams,
The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

[June 1939]

Dear Miss Drew¹

I think Mr Hunt’s programme seems good – but of course they would love some of the dance movements out of the Bach Suites or some of the ‘little preludes’ – it is perfectly absurd his refusing to do single movements especially in Bach or Scarlatti (what about some Scarlatti by the way).
And how about some of the English Virginal music – it wd be good for the children to realize the lovely music had been written by people called Giles Farnaby or Jenkins or John Bull.²
Yrs sincerely

R. Vaughan Williams

I think the Haydn is all right – how about Chopin preludes or etudes or mazurkas.

Miss Sylvia Drew

1.  Chairman of the Children’s Day Committee of  the Leith Hill Music Festival. Addressed to her at Heathfield, Albury Heath, Nr Guilford.
2.  This letter  presumably concerns a proposed piano recital programme for the Children’s Day concert in 1940. In the event it probably did not take place because of the war. No keyboard music by Jenkins is known.