THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

7, Deanery Street, W.1

[4th February 1952]

Sir,

The Composer’s Guild of Great Britain most ardently supports the protests against the closing down of the Crown Film Unit. “Crown”, largely owing to the enlightened policy of its musical directors, Muir Mathieson and John Hollingsworth, was ever in the forefront of the battle for specially composed music by British composers of distinction or promise: it has not only given opportunity and encouragement to many a lesser known composer, but has also shown the world that our great ones have it in them to enhance the artistic value of films. Those of us who have had the privilege of working with and for “Crown” cannot stand by and hear it condemned to death without petitioning against a sentence so discouraging to our colleagues at home and our prestige abroad.¹
We are, Sir, your obedient servants
RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS ,
 President,
GUY WARRACK,
 Chairman, Composers Guild of Great Britain

7, Deanery Street, W.1, Feb.4.

1. See R.V.W.: a biography p.316.