I Vow to Thee My Country [30min]
A hymn that has recently attracted controversy for its patriotism, "I Vow to Thee My Country", was born just after the First World War. Vaughn Williams had the inspirational idea to put together the stirring music from Holst's Jupiter movement and the poem written by American ambassador Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, which was found on his desk when he left office.
Read entire article at BBC Radio 4 "Soul Music"