Vincent Persichetti (1915–87) was an American composer, teacher, pianist, and writer. He earned a master's degree and a doctorate from the Philadelphia Conservatory and a conducting diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music. He taught at the Philadelphia Conservatory and at Juilliard, where he became chairman of the composition department in 1963. He wrote extensively for the piano but also composed a number of works for wind bands and other ensembles. He composed ten sonatas for harpsichord; RK performed the first movement of the first sonata on his recital of twentieth-century music at Berkeley in 1961. Persichetti sent RK his second sonata, written in 1981, but RK was unable to learn and perform it because he was completely blind by that time.

July 13, 1960

Dear Mr. Persichetti:

Am I right to have heard that you have written a Sonata for Harpsichord. If this work is not bound by previous commitments, I would very much appreciate a chance to see it, should this be possible.

All best greetings,

Sincerely,

Ralph Kirkpatrick

March 15, 1961

Dear Mr. Persichetti:

Your harpsichord sonata arrived last summer just before my departure for Europe and a recording marathon so that it is now, at the end of my concert season, that I realize that I never even acknowledged this receipt, much less thanked you for it.

I like the piece very much. It is what I call “clean music” with all the notes in the right place and never a meaningless one. I took the liberty of playing only the first movement in January in California because the nature of the other pieces on the program would simply not permit, either in character or in timing, complete performance of your harpsichord sonata; but, I hope very soon to have a chance to play the whole work, and I hope that this is not the last piece that you will write for the harpsichord. Perhaps it will be possible sometime for me to play it for you and find out if I am respecting your wishes.

All best greetings,

Sincerely,

Ralph Kirkpatrick