THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The Cornell Heights Residential Club
One Country Club Road
Ithaca,
New York

November 2nd 1954

My dear Dean,

Thank you for your kind letter.  I need hardly enlarge on the honour which I feel in being awarded the Howland Prize by Yale University.¹
Thank you for the details, which I have noted, namely, a late afternoon lecture followed by a dinner. I think on the whole it would be more convenient for us to return to New York the same evening. Nevertheless, my wife and I thank you very much for so kindly offering us the use of your house while we are at the university.
As regards the title of my lecture I propose “Making your own music” – should you approve of this? I am giving a short talk on more or less the same subject for Toronto but I do not think that need affect the question.²
Perhaps you could tell me, at your convenience, how long you would like the lecture to be; also whether it should be afternoon or evening dress?
Yours sincerely

R. Vaughan Williams

PS Please forgive delay. I am only just back from California.

1. See VWL2881. Luther Noss was Dean of the School of Music at Yale, and had written to VW to welcome him and ask his plans for his visit. Noss’s letter is transcribed in Cobbe, Letters of RVW  (OUP, 2008), p.549.
2. VW’s lecture formed the basis for the chapter entitled ‘Epilogue’ published in his National music and other essays.