THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Letter from Ralph Vaughan Williams to Major Percy S.G. O’Donnell

Letter No. VWL1361

Letter from Ralph Vaughan Williams to Major Percy S.G. O’Donnell

Letter No.: VWL1361


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

Jan 23 [1940]

Dear Major O’Donnell1

Many thanks for your letter.2 I have discovered a very rough copy of the orch. score of “Running Set” which I enclose – I enclose also a pfte arrangement to refer to when the score becomes too illegible.3
Yours sincerely

R. Vaughan Williams


1. Director of the B.B.C. Military Band.
2. See also VWL1359.
3. See Catalogue of Works 1933/3. The first performance of The Running Set had taken place on 6th January in the National Folk Dance Festival at the Royal Albert Hall. There had been discussion about a series of programmes on the BBC on which traditional tunes would be played by military band (see VWL1617); possibly O’Donnell wished to see if an arrangement of The Running Set might be feasible.