THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams,
10, Hanover Terrace,
Regents Park,
London, N.W.1.

February 23rd 1958.

Dear Mr Kennedy-Bell,

Thank you for your letter.  Would March 10th about 11am be a good time for you?  I must explain, however, as I did to Simona Pakenham that I never give the original words of the folk tunes which I have made into hymns: let me give you an example, not from my own experience – for years the C of E would not allow the magnificent tune Helmsley for Lo! he comes, because it was known to be founded on a theatrical song, with the words “Where’s the mortal can resist me”?¹
Yours sincerely,

R Vaughan Williams

1.  Simona Pakenham was planning a series of BBC programmes entitled ‘Sacred & Secular’. VW had written to her in similar terms on 9th February – see VWL3383.