Letter from Ralph Vaughan Williams to Major Percy S.G. O’Donnell (BBC)
From R. Vaughan Williams,
The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.
Dear Major O’Donnell
Many thanks for your letter. I should be delighted to be with you on Jan 2nd.1
As regards the two marching tunes I have selected 5 from which I should like you to choose the two which you feel would “get across” the best – It is fearfully important to make a good impression the first time –
My list is as follows
( Haste to the Wedding ) already in your repertoire
Any two ( Black Nag ) "
Of these ( Blue Eyed Stranger
( Cobblers Jig
( Wraggle Taggle Gypsies
Those you said you could kindly get arranged2 – I enclose a very rough harmonisation, in case useful, but I wd much rather leave it to the experience of you & your arrangers – using mine as a basis or not as you like.
Yours sincerely
R Vaughan Williams
1. For the background to this letter see VWL1617, and the letter from O’Donnell to Reginald Thatcher in the footnote.
2. By Gerard Williams.
Location of original letter:
Year date taken from context.