THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Letter from Ralph Vaughan Williams to Joan Shaw

Letter No. VWL4101

Letter from Ralph Vaughan Williams to Joan Shaw

Letter No.: VWL4101


From R. Vaughan Williams
The White Gates,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

[?1938]

Dear Joan
Thank you very much for writing to me about Diccon.
What do the authorities at Rugby say?  That seems to me important.
Personally I feel against the RCM. From your account I should say he could not hold his own against the appalling specialized skills of the modern professional.  Also I should like him to go & ?? very much – then if he really found his metier was music he might go to the RCM afterwards.
Is he really good enough on his violin to take it up professionally? – & even then the life of an orchestral player & teacher is not a very bright one.
Does he want to be a schoolmaster – with his many & generalized gifts a music master at a school might be a solution – but 3 years at Cambridge wd all be to the good for that.  I’ve never done anything for Diccon yet.  I was biding my time – what ever he decides on I should like to help in a suitable way if I may.  The first thing to do it seems to me is to find out what they advise at Rugby.
yrs
R. Vaughan Williams
My love to Martin.