THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Dorking.

November 24th 1952.

Dear McKie,

I find I never answered your letter about the anthem.¹ I do not quite understand whether you only want the words you quote set, which, without several repetitions will not last more than thirty seconds; or do you want the whole thing, with the bit about the lions?² or will that run too much into Sir John Goss?³ I hope you will be able to put the Old Hundredth through.
Yours sincerely,

R. Vaughan Williams

1. VW had been asked to compose an anthem to the words O taste and see (Catalogue of Works 1952/3) a setting of Psalm 34 v 8, for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953.
2. The setting does not proceed to verse 10: ‘The lions do lack, and suffer hunger’.
3. Sir John Goss, organist of St Paul’s Cathedral 1838-1872, composed a setting of the same text.