Letters of Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1895-1958

• Sheds new light on his own music, the music of others, his friendships, and his marriages

Readership: Scholars and students of 20th Century British music in general; readers with an interest in the life and music of Ralph Vaughan Williams in particular

Edited by Hugh Cobbe, Formerly Head of British Collections, British Library

Review(s) from previous edition

"[a] splendid book - Diana McVeagh, Times Literary Supplement

"essential for anyone interested in the wider cultural history of Britain in the first half of the twentieth century. It makes fascinating reading and OUP has done us all a service... It deserves to sell in hundreds of thousands." - Piers Burton Page, International Record Review

"This handsome book has been the labour of love for Hugh Cobbe over many years... and he is to be warmly congratulated on the achievement... undoubtedly a required reference work to keep within reach." - Rolf Jordan, Finzi Friends Newsletter

"exemplary scholarship... the volume greatly amplifies our understanding of V.W." - Bayan Northcott, BBC Music Magazine

"For anyone with specific areas of study, not least any number of compositions, this volume is required reading." - Andrew Green, Classical Music

"the editor has done a superlative job... By uncovering much fresh material, clarifying and correcting the work of previous editors, and generally bringing Vaughan Williams and his works vividly to life, Letters of Ralph Vaughan Williams joins the handful of standard reference books that are essential reading to anyone interested in this composer's music." - Julian Onderdonk, Project Muse

"The letters themselves provide a fascinating insight into Vaughan Williams's wide-ranging interests" - Ruth Hellen, Brio Volume 46

"Hugh Cobbe has done a superb job both in his footnotes and in his selection and the result is a fitting half centenary tribute to a truly great man...Anyone interested in Vaughan Williams will need to have these letters." - Simon Heffer, Telegraph

"excellently produced... a joy to handle. Cobbe has also written a splendid introductory essay for each section of these letters." - Lionel Pike, Fontes

"Cobbe has provided scholars with an invaluable resource" - Ceri Owen, Tempo

"Six chronological groups are separated by upheavals of war or changes of residence, and Cobbe prefaces each with an elegant and efficient explanatory essay that summarizes the letters import and sketches contemporaneous events." - Anthony Barone, Music and Letters

ForewordMichael Kennedy:
Preface
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
1: Earliest letters (c.1895) to the Outbreak of the First World War: 1895 - 1914
2: From the beginning of the First World War until the Move to Dorking: 1914 - 1929
3: From the Move to Dorking until the Outbreak of the Second World War: 1929 - September 1939
4: The Second World War: September 1939 - May 1945
5: From the Second World War to the Move Back to London: June 1945 - 15 September 1953
6: From the Move Back to London until VW's death: 15 September 1953 - 26 August 1958
List of Sources
Bibliography
Index of Works of Ralph Vaughan Williams
General index