THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Dorking, Surrey.

25th January, 1950.

Dear Buckland,
I was very glad to get your telegram and I listened part of the time, though I have to confess that the play bored me so that I could not listen to any more.¹
I liked the texture of your music and it seemed very well done, but I do not think somehow that you have got the knack of writing ballad tunes. This is a very specialised craft, and a great many great composers – e.g. Beethoven have not touched it.
I am glad to hear you have realised the Morris Dance at last. You might have done so long ago and I think it would have taught you a lot. You had only to ask me about it since you knew I was interested. A great many people who have never seen it imagine it is what you used to think and people like Arnold Bax (who ought to know better) and I rather think he has never seen it either, say very stupid things about it.
I think it would help your composition a lot if you were to learn to dance it. If you want an introduction to someone in your district who holds classes I will see what I can do.
Yours sincerely,

R Vaughan Williams

(R. Vaughan Williams).

John Buckland, Esq.,
2, Grosvenor Road, Seaford.

1. Buckland had several pieces of his incidental music on to the radio at this time. Possibly this letter relates to a broadcast of 16^th January and Tobias Smollett’s ‘The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle’ (1751), on the Home Service.
VWL3748 indicates that VW has been unwell – hence, perhaps, the delayed reply.