THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams,
10, Hanover Terrace,
Regents Park,
London, N.W.1.

January 27th 1958.

Dearest Michael & Eslyn

I hoped to send the invitation for the 21st with this¹ – but the printer has not yet delivered them – this is to wish you all a happy centenary & how we wish we could see Eslyn in her dragonfly glory.²
All goes well here – Ralph is editing a penguin Folk song book, Gil had mild Phlebitis specialité de la maison it seems – & wrote his book on transport in bed³.  Joy came to stay, Genia came to stay,⁴ the lavatories froze, & the plummer⁵ came to lunch, & the Hallé last night was radiant.⁶ We also went to Eric Greenes blind choir⁷, & the McNaghten concert⁸, Midsummer Nights Dream⁹, & the Passion rehearsals.  Now Tippett No. 2 is coming up.¹⁰  We have taken one of the Walton’s villas in Ischia from April 14 to May 14 – very exciting.¹¹  We shall also look at Pompeii & Herculaneum – its going to be nice to go away after the symphony.¹²  Edna is going to the Adriatic!¹³ In June.  The cats will stay here.
Love from us both.
Ursula.

1.  See VWL3390.
2.  The Hallé Orchestra had given a centenary concert on 30 January 1958.
3.  The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation by Gilmour Jenkins was published in 1959.
4.  Joy Finzi and Genia Hornstein.
5.  sic.
6.  The Halle concert “last night” was on the 27^th; perhaps UVW began the letter on 27^th and continued it on 28^th.
7. Eric Greene’s “blind choir” was the Pro Canto Singers. They performed Britten’s Cantata at the Royal School of Church Music, Addington Palace, Croydon, on Saturday 25 January 1958, supplemented by four boys from the RSCM’s own choir. Peter Pears was the soloist and Eric Greene conducted. Britten and VW were both present.
8. VW was guest of honour at the first of the McNaghten concerts for 1958. An arrangement by him of an old French ballad was given.
9. Midsummer Night’s Dream (the play) was on at The Old Vic.
10. Tippett’s Symphony no.2 was on 5^th February at Maida Vale Studios. VW went to the rehearsal; it is not clear whether or not he stayed for the evening performance and broadcast. Two minutes in, Boult made an error, stopped the performance and started again.

11. William Walton had a house on Ischia with several attached villas (see also VWL3396).
12. The Ninth Symphony was to be given its first performance on 2^nd April at the Royal Festival Hall.
13.  Edna Harling, who was housekeeper for the VWs.