Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams

Vaughan Williams was born in England during the year 1872. Composers influenced in the musical style of Brahms were his musical mentors. His earlier music showed the influence of Brahms, yet they also has Williams' unique and original sound to them. Throughout his life, he was fascinated by the English folk song.
He had the unique talent of being able to absorb musical techniques and styles from other composers while still remaining true and original to himself. Composers who influenced him were Stravinksy, Bach, Brahms, Byrd, and Debussy. His earliest compositions were French impressionist music, such as his In the Fen Country, and String Quartet No. 1. He soon changed his musical style to incidental music. In this format, his famous works were The Wasps, the song cycle On Wenlock Edge and Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis.

Vaughan Williams was a composer in almost every category of music. He wrote a few of operas, none which had success on stage, even though they were filled with artistically pleasing music. His other major musical compositions were Hodie, Merciless Beauty, Serenade to Music, 10 Blake Songs, Five Mystical Songs, Dona nobis pacem, and Sancta Civitas. All of his symphonies show Ralph Vaughan Williams' wide range of style and form, each piece having a truly unique sound. His music was always original and unique, with much drama and emotion.

I had a teacher who had Vaughan Williams for a teacher at the Royal College! Small world or what??

  • Lord, thou hast been our refuge
  • Let us now praise famous men
  • O vos omnes
  • O taste and see
  • The Turtle Dove
  • Three Elizabethan Songs
    • Willow Song
    • O mistress mine
  • Mass in G Minor
    • Kyrie
      The contrast of the G minor in the first Chorus section Kyrie Eleison to that of the G Major of the Christe Eleison solo section, then returning to G minor for the last section, is very effective.
    • Gloria
      Excellent use of the double choir: echos and repeats build to several climatic portions within the movement.
    • Credo
      By far my favourite. Vaughan Williams uses the double choir to build a climax on per quem omnia facta sunt, each repetion of per quem omnia gets progressivly higher in pitch, until both choirs join in, ending in a declamatory facta sunt in duplets (the movement is in 3-2)
    • Sanctus
      Another excellent movement. The Hosanna is very effective in how it contrasts to the polyphony of the sanctus by being very vertical in structure.
    • Benedictus
    • Agnus Dei
      The end is the best. All three choruses (Soli and Double Choruses) end the movement, the solo Soprano having the high A, instead of the entire soprano section, at the climax is a nice touch.
  • Te Deum in G
  • Wither's Rocking Hymn SATB
  • Lullaby from 'Hodie': SSA & piano
  • Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis
  • O taste and see: SSA , SATB
  • All hail the power: SATB
  • At the name of Jesus:
  • He that is down need fear no fall Unison/2-part , SATB
  • The Song of the Tree of Life 2-part
  • A choral flourish: SATB
  • For all the saints: SATB
  • O how amiable SATB
  • Old Hundredth Psalm Tune
  • Prayer to the Father of Heaven SATB
  • Ring out ye crystal spheres SATB
  • See the chariot at hand SATB
  • The souls of the righteous Soloists & SATB
  • The Twenty-third Psalm: SATB
  • Two chorales from 'Hodie' SATB
  • Valiant for Truth SATB
  • The Voice out of the whirlwind: SATB & organ

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