Orchestral Soundclips :: Ralph Vaughan Williams Society

Orchestral Works Soundclips

Above: Leith Hill Place, VW's childhood home, as it is today (photo taken 2010). This was Vaughan Williams' home from the age of three until he left the Royal College of Music although he was regular visitor thereafter. He inherited the property in 1944 but left the house and the surrounding area to the National Trust. The house had been built in c1600 and bought by RVW's maternal grandfather, Josiah Wedgwood. The famous Leith Hill Musical Festival took its name from the beauty spot nearby. VW moved to a more modest house in Dorking (White Gates). "If I had to decide what trees were to be cut, what vegetables planted, what cows sold, I should lose all pleasure in the place – and if I ran the place properly I shouldn't have any time for my own work."

In the Fen Country

Symphonic Impression. Composed 1904.

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Bernard Haitink
©EMI

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Above left: VW's wife Adeline (Fisher) in 1908. Adeline was cousin to Virginia Wolfe.

Norfolk Rhapsody No 1 in E minor

Symphonic Impression.

London Symphony Orchestra, Conductor Richard Hickox
©Chandos

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Vernon Handley.
©HMV

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Above left: Vaughan Williams outside White Gates

Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

For double string orchestra and string quartet.

BBC Symphony Orchestra, Conductor Andrew Davis. Recorded at Gloucester Cathedral
©BBC

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Above left: Gloucester Cathedral

Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus

For strings and harp.

London Symphony Orchestra, Conductor Richard Hickox
©CHANDOS

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Concerto Grosso

For string orchestra.

London Symphony Orchestra, Conductor Bryden Thomson
©CHANDOS

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Above left:: VW always enjoyed female company! Seen here with Mrs Sumsion and Vera Wood.

English Folk Song Suite

For full orchestra. VW also wrote a brass-only version.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Vernon Handley
©EMI

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Above left: VW during his time at Cambridge

Prelude and Fugue in C minor

Vaughan Williams was a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists.

London Symphony Orchestra, Ian Watson (organ), Conductor Richard Hickox
©CHANDOS

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Above left: VW and Ursula at Hanover Terrace (approx 1956).

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SERENADE IN A MINOR

The Romance (Andantino - Appassionato) from Vaughan Williams' Serenade in A minor. Written in 1898, the Serenade was VW's first orchestral work, composed shortly after he left the Royal College of Music and while he was also working for his doctorate of music. (video by Colin Lees)

Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Conductor Martin Yates
©Dutton Epoch disc CDLX 7289