The English composer, Ralph Vaughan Williams, was born on this day in 1872. The brief introduction to his biography appearing on the Ralph Vaughan Williams Society website says all that need be said about this beloved interpreter of the musical themes and varied landscapes of England:
[He] is arguably the greatest composer Britain has seen since the days of Henry Purcell. In a long and extensive career, he composed music notable for its power, nobility and expressiveness, representing, perhaps, the essence of ‘Englishness’.
Vaughan Williams expressed this "Englishness" as a prolific composer of a full spectrum of classical music grounded in the extensive research of English folk tunes and their preservation in his works.
I suspect the quality of music education in the public schools, if the curriculum exists at all, is not nearly as comprehensive today as it was in the 1950's or 1960's. In those years surrounding Vaughan Williams's death in 1958 he was revered as the beloved dean of composers in much of the Western world. In the 65 years following his death he remains a popular force in the music of our lives. Here are some likely familiar examples that renew themselves on every hearing:
I imagine hearing these pieces takes some readers back to those introductory music classes in middle school with their mechanics of music, basic performances, and musical history that included the great composers and their works. That was a long time ago but for me those introductions led to hours of enjoyment listening to all kinds of music over the past six decades. I'm very happy for that and trust that more than a few readers have enjoyed a similar experience.
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