THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

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

October 25th 1956.

Dear Alan,

I am sorry to have to write a complaining letter: I very seldom have to do so. Ursula brought home to day a reprint, – so I understand – of the catalogue of me. I have marked the mistakes as you will see. But the worst thing is on Page 18. I have already explained that I have NOTHING TO DO with Tony Scott’s Almighty Word, except that he found the tune, I believe, in the English Hymnal.¹ The melody is by Tallis and the harmony, where it is not also by Tallis is by Tony Scott. Tony is very much upset about this, naturally, and so am I because I do not like taking credit for what I have not done. I have spoken about this before, and I understood that it was to be altered. I think you ought to put in an errata slip correcting what amounts to a mis-statement. One other small point, on page 13, I think “to be sung in time of war” ought to be deleted, and the word (unison) added.² Ursula also wants to say that she did NOT write the words of Epithalamion, – but wishes she had.³
Yrs

RVW

1. See VWL2725.
2. A reference to Six Choral Songs (Catalogue of Works 1940/1).
3. UVW had chosen the words for Epithalamion from Spenser’s poem of the same name.