THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Dorking,

June 3rd, 1942.

Dear Mr Leigh
It is proposed that the “Oxford Press”¹ composers should in some way show their recognition of all that Hubert Foss has done for British music and British composers.²
In the present circumstances³ it is not, I think, possible to do anything more than send him a joint letter and some small token.  If you approve of the scheme please sign the enclosed letter. To avoid the impossible elaboration of sending the same letter round for every signature I am enclosing a separate copy of the letter for each composer’s signature. These will then be cut out and pasted below a “master” copy of the letter. As regards the token I will, with your approval, make myself responsible for that – probably a small silver pen tray with a few words engraved on it – say, “To Hubert Foss from the Oxford Press composers”, and then the date.
Yours sincerely,
R Vaughan Williams
(R. Vaughan Williams).

1. Oxford University Press
2. Hubert Foss was the first music editor at Oxford University Press, from 1923 until 1941, and his work was a major factor in promoting music and musicians in England between the world wars,  through publishing and encouraging performance of their works. His work established the Music Department of OUP as a major publisher of music in the early- and mid-twentieth century music.
3. i.e. wartime