Thornton Wilder (1897–1975) was an American novelist and playwright who explored the connection between the commonplace and the cosmic dimensions of human experience. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey and two additional Pulitzers for his plays Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth. The work of this versatile artist—he was also a successful adaptor and translator, a librettist, actor, lecturer, teacher, and screenwriter—is still widely read and produced today. Thornton Wilder and RK were personal friends.

April 7, 1949

Dear Ralph,

Very proud, very pleased that you got pleasure from the book.

And very glad to hear that you got it while you were progressing on with your own. My expectation of yours is very lively, renewed by the fact that when I was in Madrid in January, I looked in the telephone book and saw the same scarlatti and then heard of your fabulous call from Prof. Starkie too. I also dug out a piece of research treasure while I was in Madrid, a shining bit of new information about Lope de Vega, right from under the insufficiently flair'd nose of the greatest of living Lopistas.

Yes, I am coming to New York and for a whole week. It will be the week of April 25. (I'm doing an explication of a page or two of Finnegans Wake for the Joyce Society at the Grolier Club … one of those nights still unsettled … would that amuse you?)

I've long since emerged from my ignorance, the saying to you that Scarlatti seemed to me abstract patterns often governed by almost digitally-prompted combinations. I now recognize almost the opposite is true. I never mind confessing ignorance, in fact, I enjoy it.

Cordially ever,

Thornton

February 9, 1954

Dear Ralph,

Just bowled over by so much beauty—so much solely musical beauty. Even in great quartet-playing I don't get the feeling of being so much in confrontation with “musica y sola musica” (this is the slogan of an excellent broadcasting program in Havana).