Sea Songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Performed on November 18th, 2010 at the Stony Brook University Staller Center as part of a program entitled "A Concert of Winds and Water".
British-born Ralph Vaughan Williams was a fan of the military band at the Royal Military School of Music at Kneller Hall. He composed this single-movement march based on three traditional English sailing songs for the British Military Band in 1924. The first song, Princess Royal, is a well-known Morris tune from the Cotswold region of England. Morris dances are performed by 6 men, a musician and a "fool", dressed in traditional white with colored ribbons, sashes; each tune has a prescribed set of steps and movements. The second song in the work, Admiral Benbow, is also known as the Brother Tar's song. Benbow was a Vice-Admiral much admired by ordinary sailors because he rose up from the ranks and died bravely on the deck of his ship in battle. The third and final melody, Portsmouth, is a hornpipe dance tune dating back to the early 1700's. Although Williams received most of his musical training in Europe, he established his reputation in his homeland, travelling to the country side to collect traditional folk songs and hymns. In his lifetime, he composed 9 symphonies, 5 operas, music for film, theatre, orchestra and chorus. Considered one of England's greatest composers, he is buried next to Henry Purcell in Westminster Cathedral.

Category:

Music

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• Sea
• Songs
• Ralph
• Vaughan
• Williams
• Stony
• Brook
• University
• Engel