THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates
Dorking

[3rd August 1945]

Dear Gerald

Thank you so much for the clar¹ pieces which I will report on, if I may, when I have heard them. I’ve never done the Parry² at a public performance. I sh^d rescore it if I were you from the vocal score.  – I will see what I can do about the concerto parts³.
I enter a strong protest against your excellent orchestra which includes several young & lovely women (including your own wife) being described as “old ladies”.⁴
Yrs
RVW

1. Five Bagatelles, op.23, for clarinet and piano.
2. Howard Ferguson thinks this might refer to Parry’s The Glories of our Blood and State for chorus and orchestra, of which Finzi was fond.
3. See VWL1947. Finzi had asked for a set of parts for VW’s Violin Concerto.
4. The Newbury String Players.