Letter from Ralph Vaughan Williams to G.R. Barnes at the BBC
The White Gates,
Dorking.
Dear Sir
I had very little acquaintance with Elgar - I used to meet him for a few minutes once a year at the 3 choir festivals - he was always very kind & friendly - but we were never intimates
I am not the proper person to talk to about personal reminiscences1
Yrs faithfully
R Vaughan Williams
1. VW had been asked to give a reminiscence of Elgar on the tenth anniversary of his death. Although he refused on this occasion he did agree to contribute to a BBC commemorative programme on Elgar in 1957 – for a transcript of what he said then see VWL3505.