Quarto volume bound in characteristic pre-war style from RVW's music library of dark green silked cloth comprising:
1. Palestrina Missa assumpta est Maria...Edited for the use of the Bach choir by W S Rockstro. Novello 1883.
56 pages plus title and introduction, marked up extensively in blue pencil for performance, and some in
brown pencil, including a brown pencil note on the title page regarding ?timings for an evening scheduled
performance. The Gloria was evidently omitted and remains unmarked. The Bach choir performed this work fairly often after 1883 and RVW would have conducted it more than once in the 1920's. He also conducted the Palestrina Society
of RCM from 1910-1912.

Bound with 2 other Palestrina editions, unmarked, the contents of the volume
itemized on the front endpaper by Adeline Vaughan William.

This highly significant collection bears witness to RVW's meticulous approach to the performance of early vocal music; As his introduction to the RCM Palestrina Society in 1912 he had confessed his comparative ignorance of performance practice. His immersion in the music of Palestrina and his contemporaries would, however, bear fruit in the Mass in G Minor and other later works. His marking up of a score in red, blue and graphite is very characteristic of RVW'S conducting scores, this one of the most detailed ones suggesting his own confessed lack of confidence where conducting was concerned.

Red pencil notes on the title page suggest an evening rehearsal followed by performance timings.
NOTE: In 1925 March 31st at Central Hall Westminster RVW performed a concert comprising the Dvorak
Te Deum, Palestrina Missa Assumpta and a Lyke -Wake Dirge' by Whittaker. This score may well have
been used on that occasion. With location reference on the endpaper [possibly in Ursula VW's hand]: LIB REF: IX F.

FURTHER NOTE THIS ITEM IS PART OF A COLLECTION OF 49 ITEMS FROM THE MUSIC LIBRARY OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS WE ARE OFFERING FOR SALE. PLEASE SEE THE CATALOGUE SECTION OF THIS WEB-SITE FOR THE FULL CATALOGUE WITH INTRODUCTION ON PROVENANCE.