Posted on 08/26/2008 9:01:36 AM PDT by Borges
Looks, as everyone knows, can be deceiving. Consider Ralph Vaughan Williams - well-fed and rather rumpled in his favored thick, three-piece suits; hair usually a bit mussed. One wag thought that the eminent English composer suggested a farmer "on his way to judge the shorthorns at an agricultural fair."
He was actually an urbane fellow, fond of partying in the big city. And his private life had the complicated stuff that, in different times, would have galvanized the tabloids (invalid wife, decades-long affair with a much younger woman he eventually married when he was 81, etc.).
Sounds can be deceiving, too. Some people hear nothing but the equivalent of pretty postcards in the works of Vaughan Williams, just a lot of souped-up folk songs. Another English composer, Elisabeth Lutyens, went so far as to dismiss her colleague's efforts as "cowpat" music. Ouch.
Tuesday marks the 50th anniversary of Vaughan Williams' death, which provides as good an excuse as any to get reacquainted with the reality about his music, its extraordinary richness and breadth.
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
The King Crimson material was acknowledged as having been inspired by the Vaughan Williams piece.
Long time fan, here. I have both the Boult and Previn collections of the nine symphonies.
Always been close to the top of my list. I’ve performed a lot of his church music.
Perhaps you would be interested in this DVD:
O THOU TRANSCENDENT’
The Life of Ralph Vaughan Williams
2008 marks the 50th anniversary of Vaughan Williams’ death and this timely DVD is the first ever full-length film biography of the great man, produced by the multi-award winning director, TONY PALMER, as featured in Classic FM magazine, December 2007.
Specially recorded extracts from all The Symphonies, Job, The Lark Ascending, and of course The Tallis Fantasia
Archive performances by Sir ADRIAN BOULT, newly discovered interviews with VAUGHAN WILLIAMS himself.
The last ever interview with URSULA VAUGHAN WILLIAMS, and with unexpected contributions from HARRISON BIRTWISTLE, and JOHN ADAMS.
I would like to listen to more of Vaughan Williams. The Fantasia on a Theme By Thomas Tallis is a particular favorite of mine.
In truth, it's hard to compete against the likes of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms.
Still, Handel counts, sort of.
Elgar moves me out of my chair regularly. He was a composer and arranger of the first class, IMHO. His cello, viola or mandolin concerto, whatever it was, is just a transcendent piece of music. No wonder it has been transcribed for everything including kazoo. Elgar's choral music as well is just very emotionally moving. Tremendously visceral stuff
Ralph Vaughn Williams is a composer who make me sit by the radio until the end of a piece wondering, "Who wrote that?" I recognize, enjoy and appreciate him, but can't quote him. That isn't meant to damn with faint praise, but more points out my ignorance and poor education.
Among those English composers who don't enjoy the advantage of being dead yet I think very highly of Gavin Bryars. His orchestral pieces such as RMS Titanic and Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me are among my favorite all time works.
His recording of Jesus' Blood with the London Symphony? and vocals by Tom Waits may be the singularly most moving work of the past 100 years for me. Same category as Mozart's Requiem, Brahms Deutsche Requiem, Bach Cantatas, etc. All are breathtakingly simple evocations of faith.
Contemporary English music is alive and well and very accessible to folks who take the time to listen.
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