A Grand Finale
Donald Macleod explains how, at the age of 81, Vaughan Williams made a deep impression on a woman 40 years his junior, which eventually led to marriage.
At the age of 81 a new and highly creative stage of the composer's career is about to begin. Donald Macleod follows the composer has he moves to a grand new house in London and makes a deep impression on a woman 40 years his junior (all thanks to a fetching green pork-pie hat) which will eventually lead to marriage.
Valiant for Truth
The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
Timothy Brown, director
Violin Sonata in A minor (Scherzo)
Marianne Thorsen, violin
Ian Brown, piano
Symphony No 8 (1. Fantasia)
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Adrian Boult, conductor
The Pilgrim's Progress, Act 1, Sc 2 (The House Beautiful)
Gerald Finley, baritone (Pilgrim)
Rebecca Evans, Susan Gritton, sopranos; Pamela Helen Stephen, mezzo-soprano (Shining Ones)
Mark Padmore, tenor (Interpreter)
Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Richard Hickox, conductor
Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus
Susan Lynn, violin
Thomas Waddington, cello
Audrey Douglas, harp
English String Orchestra
William Boughton, conductor.
Last on
More episodes
Next
You are at the last episode
Music Played
![]()
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Valiant For Truth
Choir: Clare College Cambridge Choir. Conductor: Timothy Brown.- naxos 8572465.
- NAXOS.
- 2.
![]()
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Sonata in A minor
Performer: Marianne Thorsen. Performer: Ian Brown. Ensemble: Nash Ensemble.- HYPERION : CDA-67313.
- HYPERION.
- 13.
![]()
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Symphony no. 8 In D minor - Fantasia
Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Adrian Boult.- Decca 4732412.
- DECCA.
- 6.
![]()
Ralph Vaughan Williams
The pilgrim's progress - The house beautiful
Singer: Gerald Finley. Conductor: Richard Hickox. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Singer: Rebecca Evans. Singer: Susan Gritton. Singer: Pamela Helen Stephen. Singer: Mark Padmore.![]()
Ralph Vaughan Williams
5 variants of 'dives and lazarus'
Ensemble: Halle. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.- Halle CD HLL 7540.
- Halle.
- 6.
Broadcasts
- Fri 8 Apr 201612:00BBC Radio 3
- Fri 8 Apr 201618:30BBC Radio 3
Beethoven Unleashed – the box set
The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod’s best stories from the last 20 years
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time – why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.
