Vaughan Williams Timeline 1872


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Timeline 1872-1909 For 1910 Timeline Click here





																																1872

																																											The Vicarage at Down Ampney.
						Born 12th October in Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, son of Rev Arthur Vaughan Williams (a distinguished family of lawyers) and Margaret daughter of Josiah Wedgwood III. VW had on his mother’s side two famous great-great grandfathers: Josiah Wedgwood and Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles Darwin.																																					The Vicarage at Down Ampney.
																																1875

																																									Ralph's father dies suddenly on the 9th February and his mother, brother and sister move back to the Family home Leith Hill Place close to the village of Coldharbour, outside Dorking, Surrey, where Ralph's parents were married in 1868.
																																1878

			First music teacher, his aunt, Sophy Wedgwood. First composition, 'The Robin's Nest'.
																																1879

																																			Begins to learn the violin
																																1883

		Goes to Field House School at Rottingdean, near Brighton. Is thrilled by Wagner's 'Ride of the Valkyries' heard at a concert. Is introduced by his piano teacher, Mr A .C. West, to the music of Bach which was to become his lifelong passion.
																																1887

																																									Enters Charterhouse School, where he plays violin and viola in the orchestra.
																																1888


		Organises and gives a concert with his friend H. Vivian Hamilton. His Maths teacher says "Very good, Williams, you must go on". RVW says, "I treasured this as one of the few words of encouragement I ever received in my life."
																																1890

																																								Visits Munich and hears Wagner’s 'The Valkyrie'. Enters The Royal College of Music where he studies composition under Sir Hubert Parry and later Stanford, harmony with F.E. Gladstone and organ with Parratt. Meets fellow student Gustav Holst who was to become his greatest friend. They spend 'field days' together, criticising and improving each other's compositions.
																																1892

		Enters Trinity College, Cambridge to read History and works for his Mus.Bac. degree. Early compositions performed at The University Music Club. Continues to live at Leith Hill Place to which he would often walk from London and herald his arrival by playing the organ.
																																1895

																																			After B.Mus. taken previous year, takes BA in History at Cambridge and resumes studies at the RCM. Accepts post as organist at St Barnabas Church in Lambeth.
																																1897
																																1897
																																1898
									Marries Adeline Fisher 9th October at All Saints Church in Hove, Sussex. 'Working' Honeymoon in Berlin where he studies with Max Bruch and hears, Bach, Brahms, and Wagner.

																																								Returns to London and settles at 16 North Street, Westminster and later 5 Cowley Street. Writes mainly vocal music and studies for his diploma as a Fellow of The Royal College of Organists and writes thesis for his doctorate.
																																1899

		Moves to 10 Barton Street, Westminster, where he will be visited in 1904 by Percy Dearmer and invited to become editor of 'The English Hymnal'. The job was supposed to take 2 months. It took 2 years and cost him personally £250.
																																1900

																																			Meets Cecil Sharp. Writes 'Bucolic Suite' for orchestra. Attends first performance of Elgar's 'Dream of Gerontius'.
																																1901

			First published composition 'Linden Lea' a setting of the Dorset poet William Barnes.
																																1902

																																								'Bucolic Suite' performed in Bournemouth. Writes articles for 'The Vocalist'. Gives first in a series of lectures on the history of folk song. Lucy Broadwood provides illustrations.
																																1903


																																1904

																																			Begins work as musical editor of 'The English Hymnal'. In his research he is strongly affected by Tudor composers such as Tallis. Writes 'In the Fen Country', 'The House of Life' and 'Songs of Travel'.
		4th December collects 'Bushes and Briars' from Ingrave, near Brentwood in Essex from Charles Pottipher which stimulates his interest in collecting folk-songs (over 800).
		Composes 'Willow Wood' and other songs. Visits Norfolk for folk song collecting. Enjoys walking. Here he is seen with Gustav Holst.
																																														Leith Hill Festival is founded by his sister Margaret. RVW encourages local choirs. Guides the festival until 1953.
																																1905

		Composes 'Towards the Unknown Region'– a setting to the words of Walt Whitman. Continues collecting folk songs and works on 'A Sea Symphony' (begun 1903) also to words by Whitman. Edits 'Welcome Songs' for the Purcell Society. Moves to 13 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea. First Leith Hill Festival on 10th May.
																																1906

																																			‘The 'English Hymnal' published. Composes first 'Norfolk Rhapsody'.
																																1907

																																			First performance of 'Towards the Unknown Region' at Leeds Festival.
																																1908

			Studies with Maurice Ravel in Paris who says, he was the only pupil of mine "qui n' ecrit pas ma musique.!". Composes 'String Quartet in G Minor'. Begins work on 'On Wenlock Edge' settings by A. E. Housman.
																																1909

																																			'On Wenlock Edge' performed. ‘The Wasps’ performed at Cambridge

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© RVW Society. RVW Society is a registered charity no 1017175. The author would like to thank all concerned who have contributed material to this timeline. Special thanks go to: Ursula Vaughan Williams, Michael Kennedy, James Day, Gerald Northrop Moore, Oxford University Press. If you wish to be acknowledged please contact us.

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