Ralph Vaughan Williams

Overview - Recordings - Scores - Books - Links

Born: October 12, 1872, Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, England
Died: August 26, 1958, London, England

Ralph Vaughan Williams's two major compositions for band, the English Folk Song Suite and Toccata Marziale, were published around the same time as the Holst Suites and are similarly cornerstones of the repertoire. The recording picture looks similar to that of Holst, as the two composers' works for band make a logical recording combination. As with the Holst, the performances conducted by Frederick Fennell and Timothy Reynish win my first recommendations. Note that the Fennell Eastman performances are in mono.

It turns out the when the English Folk Song Suite was premiered, the Sea Songs march was used as the second movement of a four-movement suite. It was later decided to publish Sea Songs separately. Personally, I think this makes aesthetic and commercial sense: Sea Songs is a fine piece, but does not provide enough contrast as the second movement of the English Folk Song Suite. Reynish has the one CD that duplicates the original version of the Folk Song Suite. But if, like me, you decide you prefer it the way it was published, CD programming comes to the rescue.

Recordings

Works	Performers	Reviews	Stores
English Folk Song Suite (including Sea Songs) Toccata Marziale Flourish for Wind Band	Royal Northern College of Music Wind Orchestra Timothy Reynish	Rabinowitz	Tower Amazon
English Folk Song Suite Toccata Marziale	Eastman Wind Ensemble Frederick Fennell	Rabinowitz	Tower Amazon
English Folk Song Suite Sea Songs	Cleveland Symphonic Winds Frederick Fennell	Albacete Bauman	Tower Amazon
English Folk Song Suite Toccata Marziale	Keystone Wind Ensemble Paul Murrell and Jack Stamp		Tower
Toccata Marziale	Eastman Wind Ensemble Donald Hunsberger		Tower Amazon
English Folk Song Suite	Band of His Majesty The King's Guard Norway Kjell Martinsen		Tower Amazon

Scores

English Folk Song Suite
Toccata Marziale
Songs from the English Folk Song Suite - digital sheet music for voice and piano:
- I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
- Green Bushes

Books

Vaughan Williams (Master Musicians Series) by James Day
A Catalogue of the Works of Ralph Vaughan Williams by Michael Kennedy
National Music and Other Essays by Ralph Vaughan Williams