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 Philharmonic/Menuhin
Virgin 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 Philharmonic/Solti
London 414105
1:54
Holst: The Planets
Mars (excerpt)
London Symphony Orchestra/Davis
LSO 0029
:46
Vaughan Williams: “The Vagabond”
Terfel, baritone; Martineau, piano
DG 445946
3:06
Vaughan Williams: “In the Fen Country,” “A Norfolk Rhapsody”
(excerpt)
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Thomson
Chandos 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
Teldec 80111
:24
Vaughan Williams: “On Wenlock Edge”
Britten Quartet; Langridge, tenor; Shelley, piano
EMI 54346
9:40
Vaughan Williams: The Wasps: Overture
London Symphony Orchestra/Previn
RCA 60581
8:54
Episode 2
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 1 “A Sea Symphony,” I.
London Philharmonic/Boult; Armstrong, soprano; Case, baritone
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, baritone; Willison, piano
Chandos 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, “London”
London Philharmonic/Boult
I (excerpt), IV
London Philharmonic/Boult
EMI 47213
:50, 11:55
Holst: Mars from The Planets (excerpt)
London Symphony Orchestra/Davis
LSO0029
:47
Ravel: Le tombeau de Couperin (excerpt)
Montreal Symphony/Dutoit
London 410254
2:12
Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending
Birmingham Symphony/Rattle; Kennedy, violin
EMI 56413
17:27
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 3, “Pastoral,” I.
London Symphony Orchestra/Previn; Harper, soprano
RCA 89827
11:02
Vaughan Williams: Mass in G Minor; “Kyrie”
King’s College Choir/Willcocks
EMI 69820
3:53
Episode 4
Vaughan Williams: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, I
London Symphony Orchestra/Thomson; Sillito, violin
Chandos 9262
5:41
Vaughan Williams: “Sir John in Love” (excerpts)
Northern Sinfonia/Hickox
Chandos 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 Philharmonic/Haitink
EMI 56564
8:32
Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem
“Beat, Beat Drums”
London Philharmonic/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 Philharmonic/Menuhin
Virgin 61105
11:59
Episode 5
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5
finale (excerpt)
Royal Philharmonic/Menuhin
Virgin 61105
1:12
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 6, I.
London Symphony Orchestra/Previn
RCA 55708
8:07
Vaughan Williams: “The Cloud-Capped Tower,” “Over Hill, Over Dale”
Finzi Singers/Spicer
Chandos 9425
2:15, :56
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 7, “Sinfonia Antarctica,” I. II.
London Symphony Orchestra/Previn
RCA 60590
16:57
Vaughan Williams: Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra, II.
London Symphony Orchestra/Thomson; Harrild, tuba
Chandos 8740
5:19
Vaughan Williams: “Serenade to Music”
English Chamber Orchestra and Corydon Singers/Best
Hyperion 66420
13:29
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 9 (excerpt)
London Symphony Orchestra/Previn
RCA 55708
2:23