BaL 8.02.14 - Vaughan Williams Symphony no. 9

[Maclintick]

Interesting interpretation, Foxy. What would your take be on the last movement of the 6th Symphony?

I think a verbal quote from VW himself reinforces the extra-musical message of the final bars of the 6th, & also the 9th. When towards the end of his life a well-meaning interlocutor of religious bent inquired whether he had any views as to what would become of him in the afterlife, his reply was gently dismissive - " No, the only thing that will be left of me will be music ! " QEDVW

[Sir Velo]

OT slightly, but I find RVW such an interesting figure. Can anyone recommend a good biography of him?

Tony Palmer's film O Thou Transcendent is a good all-purpose introduction to VW.

[amateur51]

Tony Palmer's film O Thou Transcendent is a good all-purpose introduction to VW.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thou-Transce.../dp/B00118DQX8

[EdgeleyRob]

RVW A Biography of Ralph Vaughan Williams by Ursula Vaughan Williams (OUP) is the most authoritative.

For a quicker read Vaughan Williams in The illustrated Lives of Great Composers series by Paul Holmes (Omnibus Press)

or for a short visual presentation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA4NGeyalPg

I find the Ursula VW biography a little bit 'matter of fact',it's a decent read but feels a bit like a list of what he did,wrote and who he knocked around with.
Still everything's there I suppose.

These are good.

Ralph Vaughan Williams,A Pictorial Biography,John E. Lunn.

Ralph Vaughan Williams,A Life in Photographs,Jerrold Northrop Moore.

The works of Ralph Vaughan Williams,Michael Kennedy (contains biographical detail as well as analysis of the music).

I reckon there's a stonking big book waiting to be written,along the lines of Northrop Moore's Elgar or Dibble's Parry.
Who would write it I've no idea.

[FoxyTheCat]

I agree with you Rob but the first two books are out of print.

Michael Kennedy's book is the Bible, plus his Catalogue of the Works of RVW (OUP), which is such a vital resource.

Agree there is a big book still to be written, maybe Alain Frogley or Stephen Johnson? I'd give it a go, for the price of a pint but
the punters would perhaps ignore a biography by his cat!

[EdgeleyRob]

I agree with you Rob but the first two books are out of print.

Michael Kennedy's book is the Bible, plus his Catalogue of the Works of RVW (OUP), which is such a vital resource.

Agree there is a big book still to be written, maybe Alain Frogley or Stephen Johnson? I'd give it a go, for the price of a pint but
the punters would perhaps ignore a biography by his cat!

[vibratoforever]

Alain Frogley is a co-editor of a recently published volume about VW in the "Cambridge Companion" series.

The BBC documentary "The Passions of Vaughan Williams", which was produced for BBC4 around the same time as Palmer's programme, is on Youtube

[visualnickmos]

......... Palmer's programme, is on Youtube

Does anyone recall the name of Palmer's programme?

Thanks.

[FoxyTheCat]

Does anyone recall the name of Palmer's programme?

Thanks.

Tony Palmer's Film was called 'O Thou Transcendent' it is available as a DVD but I don't think on YouTube.

[visualnickmos]

Many thanks, Foxy.

[BBMmk2]

Tony Palmer's Film was called 'O Thou Transcendent' it is available as a DVD but I don't think on YouTube.

Someone has made a very good documentary on RVW on YouTube, but for the life of me cannot remember the title.

[FoxyTheCat]

Someone has made a very good documentary on RVW on YouTube, but for the life of me cannot remember the title.

It was John Bridcutt for the BBC. The Passions of Vaughan Williams

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUjWo-diK-Y

[BBMmk2]

It was John Bridcutt for the BBC. The Passions of Vaughan Williams


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUjWo-diK-Y

Thanks Foxy, I was sure though he did it off his own back?

[FoxyTheCat]

Thanks Foxy, I was sure though he did it off his own back?

Yep! The problem is that it is not in colour which greatly enhances the original film.

[BBMmk2]

Yep! The problem is that it is not in colour which greatly enhances the original film.

If anyone hasn't seen this film, please do! Strongly recommended!