Add MS 50398-50399

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS MANUSCRIPTS. Vols. XXXVIII, XXXIX. 'Household Music', three preludes on Welsh hymn tunes, 'Crug-y-bar', 'St. Denio' and 'Aberystwyth'; composed 1940-1941. Two versions of the work exist, for small orchestra (50398), and for string quartet or alternative instruments (50399, 50862). The composer envisaged the latter version, though 'principally designed for string quartet', as 'being played by almost any combination of instruments which may be gathered together at one time in a household'. See Add. MS. 50862, f. 2. This version also has an ad libitum horn part which can be played with whatever combination of instruments is used. Orchestral version first performed by the Wessex Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Reginald Goodall, at St Peter's Hall, Bournemouth, 25 Nov. 1940. See Add. MS. 70638 B. String quartet version first performed by the Blech String Quartet at the Wigmore Hall, 4 Oct. 1941. Score, 'for String Quartet or alternative instruments', published 1943. Kennedy, 1982, p. 180. The autograph score for string quartet and horn ad lib. is now Add. MS. 50862.