THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Dorking,

12th August, 1948.

Dear Frank,

I daresay you have heard of my proposed “Raynor” concert, Wigmore Hall, October 25th.  I am now getting ready the copy for the book of words and I find one song which I think must be your property. The name of the song is “Whence is that Goodly Fragrance” and is said to be translated from the French by A. B. Ramsay.
If it belongs to the O.U.P. will you kindly give me permission to print it in the programme?
Now there are two more queries: One is, there is a poem “The Loyal Lover” from “English County Songs” originally published by the Leadenhall Press. Could you find out for me who now owns the copyright? Also a song “Consider” by Madox Ford. Could you possibly find out the publishers of this?¹
Yours sincerely,

R. Vaughan Williams

1.  There is nothing about this concert in R.V.W.: a biography.  VW was apparently supporting the composer John Raynor, whose music he championed. The concert did take place; see VWL4714. G.O. May replied for Frank on 16 August saying that ‘Whence is that goodly fragrance’ was published by A&C Black; English County Songs was now published by J.B. Cramer; and that ‘Consider’ had been published by Oxford University Press in a setting by Peter Warlock but was now out of print.