The Captain's Apprentice

[ardcarp]

Radio 4 has a 15 minute slot each morning this week at 0945 about RVW. The series is based on a book called
The Captain's Apprentice: Ralph Vaughan Williams and the Story of a Folk Song by Caroline Davison.

Monday
Norfolk Rhapsody

Tuesday
Folk Song and Composition

Wednesday
Fen Country

Thursday
VW has an Epiphany

Friday
The Captain's Apprentice Revisited

I wished this had been bigged up a bit more. I only stumbled on it by accident, and I thoroughly recommend it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001bksj

[Serial_Apologist]

Radio 4 has a 15 minute slot each morning this week at 0945 about RVW. The series is based on a book called
The Captain's Apprentice: Ralph Vaughan Williams and the Story of a Folk Song by Caroline Davison.

Monday
Norfolk Rhapsody

Tuesday
Folk Song and Composition

Wednesday
Fen Country

Thursday
VW has an Epiphany

Friday
The Captain's Apprentice Revisited

I wished this had been bigged up a bit more. I only stumbled on it by accident, and I thoroughly recommend it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001bksj

I have mentioned this elsewhere, but yes, you could well be right.

[ardcarp]

Last episode particularly interesting (a) with regard to RVW's personal life and (b) telling about his friendship in old age with Patrick Hadley. The two apparently were visiting a Norfolk village which shortly afterwards was devastated by the violent storm of 1953. Hadley wrote a cantata Fen and Flood for the male voices of Gonville and Caius* and two pianos. RVW re-jigged it for mixed voices and orchestra. I don't know this work, so must find it and have a listen.

* G&C choir in those days had no trebles, and female choral scholars hadn't yet arrived in college choirs. I understand that Patrick Hadley didn't have much time for female singers anyway. He had a wooden leg (a war injury) and I heard it said (maybe a myth) that he used to stab his prosthesis with a knife to alarm passing female students in the street.

[makropulos]

I've been reading the book rather than listening to the radio programme, but will certainly catch up on Sounds. It's a very interesting read (and an enjoyable one) which I recommend wholeheartedly. As ardcarp says, the late material is particularly touching. But there are all sorts of engrossing details (many of them new to me) throughout the book. Definitely one to have on the shelves.

[smittims]

Albion Records do a splendid CD of VW's arrangement of 'Fen and Flood' conducted by Paul Daniel. Also on the disc is VW's 'The Garden of Proserpine ' one of a number of works from his early maturity whch have been revived. I found it profoundly moving; genuine VW.

[ardcarp]

Thanks for that Smittims. I’ll get that. Incidentally I ordered the book from Worley on Thursday and it arrived on Friday (yesterday). That’s service.