Symphony Soundclips :: Ralph Vaughan Williams Society

A SEA SYMPHONY

Words by Whitman. Completed and first performed in Leeds on VW's 38th birthday, 12th October, 1910. This symphony caused great excitement when it was first heard. Seven years in gestation. "Big stuff with impertinences", is how Hubert Parry decribed it.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Conductor: Robert Spano,
Christine Goerke (Soprano), Brett Polegato (Baritone), Chorus Master: Norman McKenzie.
©Telarc SACD-60588

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	A Song for All Seas
	On the Beach at Night, Alone
	Scherzo: The Waves
	The Explorers

YouTube clip: The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paul Daniel
Pictured above left: Walt Whitman

A London Symphony (Symphony No 2)

Of his own symphonies, VW said that this was probably his favourite. First performed in 1914. Packed with tunes and ideas and full of visual references. The Thames in fog, street sellers, Westminster chimes, hustle and bustle - are all in this work. Written when he lived by the river at Cheyne Walk in Chelsea. Encouraged by his friend George Butterworth.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Vernon Handley.
©HMV

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	Lento - Allegro risoluto
	Lento
	Scherzo
	Andante con moto

You Tube clip: The Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Marcelo Lehninger
Pictured above left: George Butterworth

A Pastoral Symphony (Symphony No 3)

First performed under Sir Adrian Boult on January 26, 1922 at Queen's Hall. A haunting work, the symphony was misunderstood at the time. The symphony was conceived while VW was on military service in Northern France and reflects his yearning for home. The spectacular sunsets over the killing fields were ironic images which inspired him.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Conductor Vernon Handley.
©EMI

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	Molto moderato
	Lento moderato
	Moderato pesante
	Lento

YouTube clip: The London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Richard Hickox
Pictured above left: Vaughan Williams in the Royal Medical Corps in 1915

Symphony No. 4 in F minor

VW famously remarked of this symphony, 'I dont know if I like it, but it's what I meant'. He denied that the symphony prophesised war in Europe. Nevertheless, the work is angry and menacing with a defiant ending and came as a shock to audiences after the Pastoral. First performed on 10 April, 1935, to huge acclaim.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Conductor Vernon Handley.
©EMI

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	Allegro
	Andante moderato
	Scherzo
	Finale

YouTube clip: Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Colin Davis
Pictured above left: Vaughan Williams in 1926

Symphony No. 5 in D major

Again a complete contrast from the preceding work. Parts of it contain material from the then unfinished opera 'Pilgrim's Progress'. Composed between 1938-43. A beautifully serene work but with tension at its core. First performed with VW conducting at the Royal Albert Hall in June 1943 and dedicated to Sibelius, 'without permission'.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Vernon Handley.
©Chandos

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	Preludio: Moderato
	Scherzo: Presto misterioso
	Romanza: Lento
	Passacaglia: Moderato

YouTube clip: London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult.
Pictured above left: Vaughan Williams conducting his 5th Symphony at the Royal Albert Hall in 1945.

Symphony No. 6 in E minor

Composed between 1944-47 and first performed under Boult on 21 April 1948. Another menacing work, with whirling and devilish impressions. Contains a bizarre tuba solo as well as a rombustious scherzo and jazzy syncopations. The second movement recalls the Mars of Gustav Holst while the wonderful pianissimo finale gives the impression of drifting in timelessness and space.

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Bernard Haitink.

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	Allegro
	Moderato
	Scherzo: Alegro vivace
	Epilogue: Moderato

YouTube clip: New York Philharmonic conducted by Leopold Stokowski
Pictured above left: Vaughan Williams was losing his hearing almost certainly as a result of his time in the field.

Symphony No. 7 'Sinfonia Antartica'

Much of this symphony was taken from material used for the film, Scott of the Antarctic. First performed by the Hallé Orchestra under Barbirolli on 14 January 1953. It called for the largest orchestra ever employed by VW, and uses a piano, a wind machine, gongs, organ, glockenspiel, celesta, xylophone and vibraphone as well as human voice.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Alison Hargon (soprano), Ian Tracy (organ), Conductor Vernon Handley.
©EMI

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	Prelude
	Scherzo
	Landscape
	Intermezzo
	Epilogue

YouTube clip: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kees Bakels
Pictured above left: Rehearsing Antartica with Ernest Irving

Symphony No. 8 in D minor

Dedicated to Sir John Barbirolli and first performed on 2 May 1956 in Manchester's Free Trade Hall by the Hallé Orchestra and Barbirolli conducting. Using an exotic instrument combination, this is the shortest of the symphonies. VW called the first movement, 'seven variations in search of a theme'.

	Fantasia
	Scherzo
	Cavatina
	Toccata

YouTube clip: London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult
Pictured above left: Vaughan Williams with Sir John Baribirolli

Symphony No. 9 in D minor

Composed in 1956-7 and revised in 1958, the year of the composer's death, the symphony was first performed under Sir Malcolm Sargent on 2 April 1958. Despite his great age and despite revisiting ideas explored much earlier, the music is innovative and predicts a new phase in VW's musical journey. Many of the ideas evoke scenes from Thomas Hardy's novel 'Tess', a work which fired his imagination enough to conduct a walk in the 'footsteps of' with his lifelong friend Gustav Holst.

	Moderato maestoso
	Andante sostenuto
	Scherzo
	Andante tranquillo

Pictured above left: Gustav Holst. VW and Holst were great admirers of Hardy's work

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