Concert audiences have an enduring affection for the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams; a composer of dance, symphony, opera, song, hymnody, and film music, serious scholarship on his music is currently enjoying a revival. 2008 marks the 50th anniversary of Vaughan Williams passing. This collection brings together a host of lively writings, some for the first time, and many for the first time since their initial publication by one of the most articulate, beloved and engaging English composers. Making available essays, articles, broadcasts, and speech transcripts from 1901-1958, Vaughan Williams on Music exemplifies the multi-faceted nature of his contributions: active supporter of amateur music and English music, a leader in the folksong revival, educator, performer, and polemicist. Vaughan Williams was one of the cultural giants of his day, a figure of iconic stature whose influence stretched far beyond musical circles; his friendships with Bertrand Russell and G. M. Trevelyan, and his tireless work on behalf of a variety of organizations and causes, from Jewish refugees to the Third Programme, gave him a unique place in British national life. He also had a powerful influence in the United States, at a time when the international relationship was approaching its zenith. Through all these perspectives, the words are unmistakably those of a practicing composer; a young composer at the turn of the last century, trying to find his own musical voice amid widely diverse stylistic influences of the dominant and successful figures of Brahms, Strauss, and Tchaikovsky, and a mature composer in the mid-century, having found that glorious voice which continues to resound across the globe. The volume will be an important contribution to the literature not only on British music, but also on nineteenth- and twentieth-century British cultural and intellectual life as a whole, placing Vaughan Williams' political and aesthetic thought in a broader cultural perspective.
Author(s): David Manning
Year: 2007
Language: English
Pages: 456
CONTENTS......Page 8
ABBREVIATIONS......Page 14
CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF CONTENTS......Page 16
INTRODUCTION......Page 24
PART I: MUSICAL LIFE AND ENGLISH MUSIC......Page 32
1 The Romantic Movement and Its Results......Page 34
2 A School of English Music......Page 38
3 The Soporific Finale......Page 40
4 Good Taste......Page 44
5 A Sermon to Vocalists......Page 46
6 Preface to The English Hymnal......Page 52
7 Who Wants the English Composer?......Page 60
8 British Music......Page 64
9 Gervase Elwes......Page 78
10 Introduction to English Music......Page 82
11 Elizabethan Music and the Modern World......Page 88
12 Sir Donald Tovey......Page 92
13 A. H. Fox Strangways, AET. LXXX......Page 94
14 Making Your Own Music......Page 96
15 Local Musicians......Page 100
16 The Composer in Wartime......Page 104
17 Introduction to News Chronicle Musical Competition Festival for HM Forces......Page 108
18 First Performances......Page 110
19 Art and Organisation......Page 112
20 Choral Singing......Page 114
21 Carthusian Music in the Eighties......Page 116
22 Howland Medal Lecture......Page 120
23 Preface to London Symphony......Page 132
24 Introduction to The Art of Singing......Page 134
25 Some Reminiscences of the English Hymnal......Page 136
26 Hands off the Third......Page 140
PART II: CONTINENTAL COMPOSERS......Page 144
27 Palestrina and Beethoven......Page 146
28 Bach and Schumann......Page 150
29 The Words of Wagner’s Music Dramas......Page 154
30 Brahms and Tchaikovsky......Page 174
31 Ein Heldenleben......Page 180
32 The Romantic in Music: Some Thoughts on Brahms......Page 186
33 Verdi: A Symposium......Page 192
34 Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951)......Page 194
35 Sibelius at 90: Greatness and Popularity......Page 196
PART III: FOLK SONG......Page 200
36 Preface [to a Folk Song Collection]......Page 202
37 Introduction to Folk Songs from the Eastern Counties......Page 204
38 English Folk-Songs......Page 206
39 Folk-Song in Chamber Music......Page 222
40 Dance Tunes......Page 226
41 Sailor Shanties......Page 236
42 How to Sing a Folk-Song......Page 240
43 The Late Mr Frank Kidson......Page 242
44 Lucy Broadwood: An Appreciation......Page 244
45 Ella Mary Leather......Page 248
46 Folk-Song......Page 250
47 Cecil Sharp’s Accompaniments......Page 254
48 Arthur Somervell......Page 256
49 Cecil James Sharp (1859–1924)......Page 258
50 Traditional Arts in the Twentieth Century......Page 264
51 The Justification of Folk Song......Page 268
52 Let Us Remember… Early Days......Page 272
53 Preface [Celebrating the Foundation of the Folk Song Society]......Page 276
54 Lucy Broadwood, 1858–1929......Page 278
55 Appeal on Behalf of the English Folk Dance and Song Society......Page 282
56 Preface to Index of English Songs......Page 284
57 Address to the Fifth Conference of the International Folk Music Council......Page 286
58 Cecil Sharp: An Appreciation......Page 290
59 Preface to International Catalogue of Recorded Folk Music......Page 294
60 Martin Shaw......Page 296
61 Preface to Folksong—Plainsong......Page 300
62 The Diamond Jubilee of the Folk Song Society......Page 302
63 The English Folk Dance and Song Society......Page 304
64 Introduction to Classic English Folk Songs......Page 310
PART IV: BRITISH COMPOSERS......Page 314
65 Sir Hubert Parry......Page 316
66 Charles Villiers Stanford, by Some of His Pupils......Page 318
67 Introductory Talk to Holst Memorial Concert......Page 320
68 A Note on Gustav Holst......Page 322
69 Gustav Theodore Holst (1874–1934)......Page 324
70 Foreword to Eight Concerts of Henry Purcell’s Music......Page 330
71 Gustav Holst: A Great Composer......Page 332
72 The Teaching of Parry and Stanford......Page 336
73 Gerald Finzi: 1901–1956......Page 344
74 Mr Gerald Finzi: A Many-Sided Man......Page 346
75 Elgar Today......Page 348
PART V: PROGRAMME NOTES ON VAUGHAN WILLIAMS'S MUSIC......Page 350
76 Heroic Elegy and Triumphal Epilogue......Page 352
77 Pan’s Anniversary......Page 354
78 A Sea Symphony......Page 356
79 Phantasy Quintet......Page 358
80 A London Symphony......Page 360
81 A Pastoral Symphony......Page 362
82 Flos Campi......Page 368
83 Piano Concerto......Page 372
84 Fourth Symphony......Page 376
85 Five Tudor Portraits......Page 382
86 Sixth Symphony......Page 384
87 Folk Songs of the Four Seasons......Page 390
88 Sinfonia Antartica......Page 392
89 The Pilgrim’s Progress......Page 398
90 Tuba Concerto......Page 400
91 Violin Sonata......Page 402
92 Eighth Symphony......Page 404
93 Ninth Symphony......Page 412
PART VI: PROGRAMME NOTES ON THE MUSIC OF OTHER COMPOSERS......Page 420
94 Bach Cantatas......Page 422
95 British Choral Music and Dvorák, Stabat Mater......Page 424
96 Bach, St Matthew Passion......Page 426
97 Dvorák, ‘New World’ Symphony......Page 428
98 Elgar, Introduction and Allegro for String Orchestra......Page 432
99 Gordon Jacob, Passacaglia on a Well-Known Theme......Page 434
100 Weber, Der Freischütz Overture......Page 436
101 Brahms, Choruses from the Requiem......Page 438
102 George Dyson, The Canterbury Pilgrims......Page 442
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY OF FOLK SONG COLLECTIONS......Page 444
B......Page 446
E......Page 448
F......Page 449
G......Page 450
K......Page 451
N......Page 452
S......Page 453
T......Page 454
W......Page 455
Y......Page 456
