THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates
Dorking

Oct 3 1943

Dear Canon Briggs¹
I have had the anthem – as a bit of ‘war work’ to write the tune for the times – I have had many shots & they have all fallen dead – so I cannot try any more.
I am therefore sending your words on to Martin Shaw – I hear from the Dean of Chichester that Martin has had an operation but has recovered & is now very well.²
All my affectionate greetings to Mrs Briggs & all yours when you see them
Yours sincerely

R Vaughan Williams

1. Briggs was a Canon at Worcester Cathedral and contributor to various hymnals. VW stayed with him for the Three Choirs Festival in 1954 (see VWL2826).
2. Presumably the text under discussion was ‘Lord God of earth and sea and skies’, which Martin Shaw did set and which was published by Oxford University Press in 1944.