The Choral-Orchestral Works of Ralph Vaughan Williams: Autographs, Context, Discourse

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The Choral-Orchestral Works of Ralph Vaughan Williams: Autographs, Context, Discourse combines contextual knowledge, a musical commentary, an inventory of the holograph manuscripts, and a critical assessment of the opus to create substantial and meticulous examinations of Ralph Vaughan Williams choral-orchestral works. The contents include an equitable choice of pieces from the various stages in the life of the composer and an analysis of pieces from the various stages of Williams life. The earliest are taken from the pre-World War I years, when Vaughan Williams was constructing his identity as an academic and musicianVexilla Regis (1894), Mass (1899), and A Sea Symphony (1910). The middle group are chosen from the interwar periodSancta Civitas (1925), Benedicite (1929), Magnificat (1932), Five Tudor Portraits (1935), Dona nobis pacem (1936)written after Vaughan Williams had found his mature voice. The last clusterThanksgiving for Victory (1944), Fantasia (Quasi Variazione) on the Old 104 Psalm Tune (1949), Sons of Light (1950), Hodie (1954), The Bridal Day/Epithalamion (1938/1957)typify the works finished or revisited during the final years of the composers life, near the end of the Second World War and immediately before or after his second marriage (1953).

Reviews

Until now, the British Museum has long been the one-stop shop to pore over RVW's autographs in all their messy, convoluted glory. From wielding a pocketknife to erase inked-in passages, to carefully uncovering multiple paste-over layers, Dr. Stephen Town delivers a compelling paper trail - and a guided turn-of-the-microscope-lens mystery novel - of serious and insightful scholarship.

It's not merely the method that fascinates here--it's the results. You'll want scores, and a Book of Common Prayer, in hand as you trace compositional development through the autograph lens. Town's account is more than standard analysis: it reveals the composer's growth across his seasons of life. Wisdom and prowess culminates in the winter of RVW's life - marriage, revisiting old friends (previous compositions), introspection, and reconciliation.

A Vaughan Williams Charterhouse Fellow, Dr. Stephen Town's autograph analyses constitute a significant contribution to the acme of musicological contributions to the life and works of Ralph Vaughan Williams. They are a-must read and engaging reading.

Author Bio

Stephen Town is professor of music and distinguished faculty awardee at Northwest Missouri State University.