Music and Vinyl: Vaughan Williams

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) was one of the towering figures on British Music in the 20th Century, known not only for his nine symphonies (the last premiered when he was 86), but for all manner of choral, orchestral and instrumental works written not only for professionals, but for amateur and student performers too.

Although his music has featured in this blog before, this - the Fourth Symphony - is the first major work here, and what a stunning piece of music it is. Completed in 1934, it had its first performance the following year with Sir Adrian Boult conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra. The first of his symphonies to date that hadn't had a name, No.4, with it's power and dissonance was seen as a commentary on, a foretelling even, of political and world events - a view subscribed to by Boult, though the composer was quick to deny any programme or external influences.

Chris Morrison on Allmusic describes the symphony:

"The symphony begins with an imperious theme that frequently recurs later in the work. The tone is one of anger and aggression. Even the more restrained second theme has a pulsating energy lurking beneath it, and the movement's occasional moments of humor are acid tinged. After its driving energy and frequent brass outbursts, the quiet coda of the movement comes as a surprise. But the feeling is more of enervation than calm. Next is the slow movement, marked Andante moderato, which opens with a wandering melody related to material from the first movement over a strong pizzicato accompaniment. Much is made of the contrast between the remorseless tread of the accompaniment versus the rather forlorn quality of the melodic material. The movement exudes a sense of weariness. A lonely flute solo acts as a coda. The Scherzo, marked Allegro molto, is dance-like, but rhythmically unpredictable and mercurial. After a fugal interlude, the dance opening returns. A strange and mysterious passage in which a quiet recollection of the first movement's main theme sounds over a pounding drum rhythm, leads without break into the vigorous Finale, which one might see as the resolution of the conflict of the first three movements. The final movement strides purposely forward, with frequent brass eruptions. The mood is one of excitement, but of agitation, as well. A peaceful theme emerges in the strings and is developed for a time. Then the initial music breaks out again, leading into a fugal development that whips up a lot of energy and leads to a brass-drenched peroration derived from the symphony's opening pages."

For a more detailed look at the background to the symphony and musical analysis of each movement, this excellent piece by Steve Schwartz is highly recommended.

Sir Adrian Boult (1889-1983) was closely connected with Vaughan Williams' music throughout his career. He recorded two complete cycles of the symphonies - for Decca in the 1950s, and for EMI in the late 60s, from which this performance of No.4 is taken.