A World at War
Donald Macleod explains how wartime experiences never Vaughan Williams and deeply influenced much of his work. Plus a musical response to Scott's expedition to the South Pole.
War sees the nationalist in Vaughan Williams character come to the fore. He finds and opportunity to serve his country as an ambulance orderly, and later as Director of Music to the First Army of the British Expeditionary Force in France. Harrowing war-time experiences would never leave him, and deeply influenced much of his work.
Plus Donald Macleod explores the composer's strong personal response to another key moment of the early twentieth century, Scott's ill-fated expedition to the South Pole, which inspired one of the many successful film scores Vaughan Williams produced.
Main Titles (Scott of the Antarctic)
BBC Philharmonic
Rumon Gamba, conductor
Ice floes (Scott of the Antarctic)
BBC Philharmonic
Rumon Gamba, conductor
Pastoral Symphony (Symphony No 3) (1st movement: molto moderato)
Hallé Orchestra
Mark Elder, director
The Lark Ascending
Tasmin Little, violin
BBC Smyphony Orchestra
Andrew Davis, conductor
String Quartet No 2 (Prelude: Allegro appassionato)
The Nash Ensemble:
Marianne Thorsen, violin
Elizabeth Wexler, violin
Lawrence Power, viola
Paul Watkins, cello.
Last on
Music Played
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Ralph Vaughan Williams
Scott of the Antarctic - main titles
Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.- Chandos:CHAN 105293.
- Chandos.
- 1.
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Ralph Vaughan Williams
Scott of the Antarctic - Ice floes
Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.- Chandos:CHAN 105293.
- Chandos.
- 6.
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Ralph Vaughan Williams
Pastoral symphony - molto moderato
Singer: Sarah Fox. Orchestra: Hallé. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.- Halle CD HLL 7540.
- Halle.
- 2.
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Ralph Vaughan Williams
The lark ascending
Performer: Tasmin Little. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Andrew Davis.- TELDEC : 9031-73127-2.
- TELDEC.
- 6.
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Ralph Vaughan Williams
Quartet no. 2 In A minor - Prelude: Allegro appassionato
Performer: Marianne Thorsen. Performer: Elizabeth Wexler. Performer: Lawrence Power. Performer: Paul Watkins. Ensemble: Nash Ensemble.- HYPERION : CDA-67313.
- HYPERION.
- 15.
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Ralph Vaughan Williams
Dona nobis pacem - extracts
Singer: Matthew Brook. Choir: Bach Choir.. Orchestra: Bournemouth S O. Conductor: David Hill. Singer: Christina Pier.- NAXOS : 8.-572424.
- NAXOS.
- 6.
Broadcasts
- Thu 7 Apr 201612:00BBC Radio 3
- Thu 7 Apr 201618:30BBC Radio 3
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