THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

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

May 20th 1956.

Dear Frank,

In answer to all your letters: the reference to me in Fen and Flood is quite correct.¹ This question of bowings in the symphony is difficult: some ought to be put in and some not I think. So I think the only thing to do is to look through the score myself, and say which I want, and which I do not. Then, as you suggest, we’ll have a special copy kept for JB² and his players and others who wish to follow his markings.
Yours,

RVW

1. Fen and Flood, a cantata for male chorus and orchestra by Patrick Hadley published by Oxford University Press in an arrangement by VW for soloists and mixed chorus (Catalogue of Works 1956/6). Frank had presumably asked VW to agree the terms in which his role was acknowledged
2. John Barbirolli had added a number of bowings to his score of the Eighth Symphony (Catalogue of Works 1955/3) and it was not certain that VW would want them included in the published score. After this letter Frank sent round Barbirolli’s score and an example of each string part for VW to inspect.