THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

13 Cheyne Walk
S.W.3

March 28 [1926]

Dear Mr Fly¹

My wife and I both wish to thank you, your producer, your singers & your orchestra for a most delightful evening.
I thought that both the singing and acting were very remarkable.
The arrangement of the piece as a dialogue often seemed to me most successful & has led me seriously to consider the possibility of producing a new version for which, if it comes to anything, I shall have to thank you & your performers.²
Will you also kindly thank the Headmaster for us for his cordial hospitality.
Yours sincerely

R. Vaughan Williams

P.S. Confidential
I was particularly struck by the boy who played the part of Hugh – He has a charming voice & beautiful diction & made a most romantic figure of the part. I understand that he wants to go to Cambridge. I very much hope that this will come off – He would be a great acquisition to the University & Cambridge would be just the place to develop the best in him.³

1. Director of a performance of Hugh the Drover given by Caterham School on 26th and 27th March 1926.
2. A copy of the programme survives in UVW’s files. It contains a note: ‘It has been found impossible to sing this opera in its entirety, hence various cuts have been made, and a dialogue form arranged where the music has offered too great difficulties’.
3. VW enquired again about this singer – see VWL611.