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Above: Henry Wood with Vaughan Williams
(top middle) and his sixteen chosen singers to record Serenade
to Music (1938).
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Sancta Civitas
(the Holy City) |
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Amongst
his choral works this was VW's favourite and the only
work to which he gave the title 'Oratorio'. Elgar congratulated
VW when the work was performed at a Three Choirs performance
and said that he had himself thought of setting the
same words to which VW characteristically replied that
he regretted that Elgar had not done so.
London Symphony Orchestra, Conductor Sir David Willocks,
Ian Partridge and John Shirley-Quirk, Choir of King's
College, Cambridge.
©EMI |
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Dona Nobis Pacem |
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Cantata for
soprano and baritone soloists, mixed chorus and orchestra.
First performance 5 February, 1938 Queen's Hall. VW's
plea for peace.
City of London Sinfonia, Conductor, Matthew Best, Corydon
Singers, Judith Howarth (soprano), Thomas Allen, (baritone)
©Hyperion |
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The Shepherds
of the Delectable Mountains |
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Founded upon
'The Pilgrim's Progress' by John Bunyan.
City of London Sinfonia, Conductor, Matthew Best, Corydon
Singers.
©Hyperion |
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Three Choral
Hymns |
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For strings
and harp.
City of London Sinfonia, Conductor, Matthew Best, Corydon
Singers.
©Hyperion |
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Five Mystical
Songs |
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Words by
George Herbert
Choir of King's College, Cambridge, English Chamber
Orchestra, John Shirley-Quirk (baritone), Conductor
Sir David Willcocks.
©EMI |
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Easter |
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I
got me flowers |
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Love
bade me welcome |
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The
Call |
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Antiphon |
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Hodie |
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A Christmas
Cantata.
London Symphony Orchestra, Bach Choir - Choristers
of Westminster Abbey, Dame Janet Baker (mezzo-soprano),
Richard Lewis (tenor), John Shirley-Quirk (baritone),
Conductor Sir David Willcocks.
©EMI |
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Song:
It was the winter wild |
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Choral:
No sad thought his soul affright |
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Epilogue:
In the beginning was the Word |
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Serenade to
Music |
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Words from
Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice'. For 16 solo
voices and Orchestra. Written 1938. Vaughan Williams
also wrote an orchestral version.
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Sir Adrian
Boult
©HMVS |
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Epithalamion |
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Cantata founded
on the masque, The Bridal Day. Words by Spenser.
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Sir David
Willcocks, Stephen Robert (baritone), Howard Shelley
(piano), Jonathan Snowden (flute).
©EMI |
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A Cotswold Romance |
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Cantata for
tenor and sporano adapted from, Hugh the Drover.
London Symphony Orchestra, Conductor Richard Hickox,
Rosa Mannion (soprano), Thomas Randle (tenor), Matthew
Brook (baritone solo).
©CHANDOS |
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Love
at first sight |
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Hugh's
Song of the Road |
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Hugh
in the stocks |
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Fantasia on
Christmas Carols |
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For baritone
and mixed chorus.
Choir of Guildford Cathedral, String Orchestra, Conductor
Barry Rose, John Barrow (baritone). |
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Toward the Unknown
Region |
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Words by
Walt Whitman. For Baritone and Orchestra. First performed
in Worcester Cathedral, 12 September 1912.
City of London Sinfonia, Conductor Matthew Best, Corydon
Singers. Judith Howarth (soprano), Thomas Allen (baritone).
©Hyperion |
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Willow Wood |
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A cantata
for baritone, wordless female chorus and orchestra.
Words by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. It first appeared
in 1903 as as scena for baritone and piano. In 1909
it was performed with the addition of orchestra and
mainly wordless female chorus. Despite positive press
notices it remained unheard until recently. VW clearly
felt it was a work worthy of him. So much so, that
only three years before his death in 1958, he was still
trying to get it re-published.
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra
Roderick Williams (baritone).
©NAXOS |
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An Oxford Elegy |
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Uses poetry
by Matthew Arnold from Scholar's Gipsy (which he had
hoped to make an opera from) and Thyrius). For speaker,
small mixed chorus (SATB) and small orchestra. Composed
between 1947-9 although VW had made sketches as early
as 1901. The mixed chorus is mainly wordless. Contemplative,
mystical and atmospheric, the work evokes pastoral
images of the Oxford countryside.
John Westbrook (speaker)
Choir of King's College, Cambridge
Sir David Willcocks (Conductor)
Jacques Orchestra
©EMI Classics |
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Play
1 |
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Play
2 |
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Play
3 |
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Play 4 |
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| Choral Works (unaccompanied) |
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Mass in G minor |
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Composed
between 1920 and 1921 and dedicated to Gustav Holst
and his Whitsuntide Singers. Scored for four soloists
and double choir.
The Elora Festival Singers, Conductor Noel Edison.
©NAXOS |
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Sanctus
- Osanna I |
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Benedictus
- Osanna II |
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Silence and
Music |
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Words by
Ursula Wood (Vaughan Williams). For mixed chorus.
The Joyful Company of Singers, Conductor Peter Broadbent.
©EMI |
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Prayer to the
Father of Heaven |
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Written in
1948, commemorating the the centenary of the birth
of RVW's teacher, Hubert Parry and dedicated to his
memory.
The Elora Festival Singers, Conductor Noel Edison.
©NAXOS |
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Down Ampney |
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English Hymn
No 152. 'Come down, O Love divine'. (RVW - da Siena)
The Elora Festival Singers, Conductor Noel Edison.
©NAXOS |
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White Gates |
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Songs of
Praise No 489. 'Fierce Raged the Tempest O'er The Deep'.
(RVW - Thring)
Cardiff Festival Choir conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes.
©CARLTON CLASSICS |
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Sine Nomine |
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English Hymn
No 64. 'For All theSaints Who from Their Labours Rest'.
(RVW - How)
Cardiff Festival Choir conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes.
©CARLTON CLASSICS |
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Marathon |
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Songs of
Praise No 302. 'Servants of the Great Adventurer'.
(RVW - Dearmer)
Cardiff Festival Choir conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes.
©CARLTON CLASSICS |
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Abinger |
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Songs of
Praise No 319. 'I Vow to Thee My Country'. (RVW - Spring
Rice)
Cardiff Festival Choir conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes.
©CARLTON CLASSICS |
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