Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1872-1958

Conjubilant with Song notes the anniversary of the birth of my favorite 20th Century composer:

Today is the 140th birthday of English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. His home town of Down Ampney (in the Cotswolds) is planning a memorial concert of some of his works this evening.

He did not show any particular talent for composition at an early age, though he attended the Royal College of Music, studying with Charles Villiers Stanford. His first published piece, a secular song called Linden Lea, did not appear until he was thirty. By the time of his death in 1958 he had compiled a very long list of compositions in nearly every possible form, from traditonal choral and instrumental works to scores for radio, film, and television. ....

CWS at Conjubilant also reminds us that Vaughan Williams edited The English Hymnal (1906) and links to his setting of "God be with you till we meet again" from that hymnbook. Vaughan Williams provided settings for many hymns [his choral works are listed here]. A very good CD collection of his hymn settings is A Vaughan Williams Hymnal.

Some of my favorites:





Conjubilant with Song: Ralph Vaughan Williams