THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

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

March 8th 1958.

Dear Herbert,

Now the Passion is over¹ – though very tired I went through the clavichord pieces, or tried to: naturally I can’t play them, or always understand them, so you must come and play them to me.  It is all nonsense to say you can’t!  THANK you a thousand times for the Pavane and the Galliard.  I love the Pavane – I haven’t got hold of the Galliard quite, yet, that is chiefly because I can’t play it, and as you know I can’t read music, so you simply must come and play them to me, and also the Mass and the beginning of the Concerto.²  You are a busier man than me, so will you suggest a date – I think not till after the 21st – and even then I may have to rewrite the symphony in ten days!!!!!!!!!!
Love to you both
from us both

Ralph

Old Toast If you 2 doesn’t love we 2
as we 2 loves you 2
then here’s to us 2 & no more.
But if you 2 does love we 2
as we 2 loves you 2
then here’s to us 4.

1. The Dorking Bach Choir’s performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion.
2. Possibly Howells’ An English Mass (1955) and the unfinished Cello Concerto.