Composer of nine masterful symphonies, editor of the English Hymnal, an ambulance driver in WWI and great-nephew to Charles Darwin, Ralph Vaughan Williams was a prolific and intriguing figure who was at the vanguard of English music in the early 20th century. This week, we’ll look at his life and sample his music.
Vaughan Williams, Ralph
Playlist
Episode 1
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5 (excerpt)
Royal Phil/Menuhin
Virg 61105
1:05
Handel: Water Music (excerpt)
Philadelphia Orchestra/Ormandy
Sony 742563
:36
Gilbert & Sullivan: Pirates of Penzance (excerpt)
Pro Arte Orchestra/Sargent
EMI 64397
:47
Wagner: Die Walküre (excerpt)
Vienna Phil/Solti
Lon 414105
1:54
Holst: Mars fr. The Planets (excerpt)
LSO/Davis
LSO 0029
:46
Vaughan Williams: “The Vagabond”
Terfel, bar.; Martineau, p.
DG 445946
3:06
Vaughan Williams: In the Fen Country (excerpts) & A Norfolk Rhapsody (excerpt)
London Phil/Thomson
Chan 8502
2:15, 1:28
Vaughan Williams: String Quartet No. 1, I
English String Quartet
Unicorn 9076
7:58
Debussy: Quartet for strings in G Minor (excerpt)
Cleveland Quartet
Tel 80111
:24
Vaughan Williams: Selections fr. “On Wenlock Edge”
Britten Quartet; Langridge, ten.; Shelley, p.
EMI 54346
9:40
Vaughan Williams: The Wasps: Overture
LSO/Previn
RCA 60581
8:54
Episode 2
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 1,A Sea Symphony, I
London Philharmonic/Boult; Armstrong, s.; Case, bar.
EMI 472122
19:11
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Polygram 445922
14:03
Butterworth: “The Lads in their Hundreds”
Luxon, bar.; Willison, p.
Chan 8831
2:10
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 2,London, III
London Philharmonic/Boult
EMI 47213
7:07, :26
Episode 3
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 2,LondonLondon Philharmonic/Boult, I (excerpt), IV
London Philharmonic/Boult
EMI 47213
:50, 11:55
Holst: Mars from The Planets (excerpt)
LSO/Davis
LSO0029
:47
Ravel: Le tombeau de Couperin (excerpt)
Montreal Symphony/Dutoit
Lon 410254
2:12
Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending
Birmingham Symphony/Rattle; Kennedy, v.
EMI 56413
17:27
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 3,Pastoral, I
LSO/Previn; Harper, s.
RCA 89827
11:02
Vaughan Williams: Kyrie from Mass in G Minor
King’s College Choir/Willcocks
EMI 69820
3:53
Episode 4
Vaughan Williams: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, I
LSO/Thomson; Sillito, v.
Chan 9262
5:41
Vaughan Williams: Sir John in Love (excerpts)
Northern Sinfonia/Hickox + soloists
Chan 9928
12:18
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleeves
Sinfonia of London/Barbirolli
EMI 67264
1:01, 1:49
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 4, I
London Phil/Haitink
EMI 56564
8:32
Vaughan Williams: “Beat, Beat Drums” fr. Dona Nobis Pacem
London Phil/Boult
EMI 69820
3:34
Vaughan Williams: Prelude to 49th Parallel
Northern Sinfonia/Hickox
EMI 49770
2:29
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5, I
Royal Phil/Menuhin
Virgin 61105
11:59
Episode 5
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5, finale (excerpt)
Royal Phil/Menuhin
Virgin 61105
1:12
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 6, I
LSO/Previn
RCA 55708
8:07
Vaughan Williams: “The Cloud-Capped Towers” & “Over Hill, Over Dale”
Finzi Singers/Spicer
Chan 9425
2:15, :56
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 7,Sinfonia Antarctica, I & II
LSO/Previn
RCA 60590
16:57
Vaughan Williams: Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra, II
LSO/Thomson; Harrild, tuba
Chan 8740
5:19
Vaughan Williams: “Serenade to Music”
ECO & Corydon Singers/Best
Hyperion 66420
13:29
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 9 (excerpt)
LSO/Previn
RCA 55708
2:23
